GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Three games are on the schedule this weekend for Christopher Newport baseball as the Captains (3-0) travel to the D3 Showcase at First National Bank Field in Greensboro, North Carolina. CNU will first take on No. 3 Denison University (0-0) at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 20 before a second game against Marietta College (0-0). The weekend will conclude on Saturday, February 21 at 11:00 a.m. when Christopher Newport takes on No. 13 Cortland (0-0).
For all three games over the weekend, live stats and a live video webcast will be available at CNUsports.com. The weekend also features No. 6 Lynchburg and Oswego State with ten games on the docket.
The Captains opened the season with three straight wins at home before heading out of town for the D3 Showcase. CNU toppled Eastern Mennonite, 9-4, before sweeping a doubleheader against Southern Virginia, 10-3 and 10-8.
The top of the order, featuring veterans batting one through five, has led the way for Christopher Newport in the early stages of the season. Senior
Jake Benedict is leading off and hitting a team-high .462 with four extra-base hits and six runs scored. In the two hole,
Sam Benedict is hitting .308 with a team-high three stolen bases.
Josh Reinhold (.455),
Aaron Maxie (.385), and
Cameron Slough (.333) round out the top five and have combined for 15 RBI and 10 runs scored.
On the mound, graduate student
Jackson Baird was named to the D3baseball.com National Team of the Week after spinning 5.1 no-hit innings in his debut.
Cooper Newell matched Baird with six strikeouts in his opener, picking up the win against Southern Virginia.
Ryan Morrison (1-0) and
Charlie Gunn (1-0) added wins for the pitching staff while the unit held opponents to a .198 batting average against in the first three games.
The three teams facing off against Christopher Newport are opening the season this weekend and have yet to take the field. Denison is ranked No. 3 in the preseason poll after going 41-7 last season and reaching the NCAA Division III World Series. Marietta is led by D3baseball.com Preseason All-American after the Pioneers finished 2025 with an 18-20 season. Cortland will begin its campaign ranked No. 13 in the D3baseball.com Top 25 after going 31-14-1 while making the team's 31st straight NCAA Division III Championship appearance.
Following the busy weekend, the Captains will return home for four games next week as they welcome Bridgewater for a single game on Wednesday, February 25 before hosting No. 7 Messiah for a three-game set next weekend.
