An early-season showdown for sole possession of first place in the Colonial Athletic Association looms. 

After series sweeps for Charleston and William & Mary, the Cougars and Tribe meet in the Palmetto State with the conference’s best records. Each are 7-2, and at least one is guaranteed to leave their upcoming trio of games as the CAA’s first eight-game winner. 

This weekend’s slate for an initial inside track on the Colonial lead should not distract from the continued success of a team riding an impressive win streak. Delaware swept Saint Peter’s in non-conference play, scoring a total of 39 runs over three games. 

The Blue Hens are tied in the loss column with the league-leading Cougars and Tribe. They travel to Hofstra, which saw its hot start in the CAA cooled somewhat by UNC Wilmington. 

St. John’s Vs. Hofstra

Tuesday, April 12 at 3 p.m. ET 

The Pride aim to reignite the spark that carried them through a strong end to March, prepping for the big weekend series with Delaware in a single-game matchup with St. John’s. 

Hofstra dropped three straight last week before salvaging the trip to Wilmington with a 5-2 win over the Seahawks, thanks to a four-run eighth inning. 

The Pride were on the opposite end of a similar scenario when they last saw St. John’s, giving up four runs in the eighth to close out a 9-7 loss on March 22. Hofstra’s Anthony D'Onofrio and St. John’s David Glancy put on a show at the plate in that meeting, with D’Onofrio going 4-of-5 and Glancy finishing 3-of-3 with four RBI. 

Delaware Vs. Hofstra

Friday, April 15 at 3 p.m. ET; Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m. ET; Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m. ET 

A pivotal series for both teams, Hofstra gets a crack at snapping Delaware’s winning streak while reinvigorating its own CAA championship pursuit. 

Solving the Blue Hens’ pitching is the first order of business for the Pride, as Delaware arrives on Long Island having given up two runs or fewer in six of its last seven games. Chris Ludman has been outstanding, boasting an ERA of 3.04 and WHIP of 1.18 while striking out 48. 

Northeastern Vs. James Madison

Friday, April 15 at 6 p.m. ET; Saturday, April 16 at 4 p.m.; Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m. ET 

Although both Northeastern and James Madison are currently in the lower-half of the CAA race, their meeting isn’t without plenty of intrigue—specifically on the mound. 

Two of the premier pitchers in the Colonial lead the staffs for the Huskies and Dukes: NU’s Wyatt Scotti has been as good as advertised with an ERA below 2.00, 50 strikeouts against just five walks, and an opponent batting average of .200. 

JMU’s Liam McDonnell is 4-0 on the season with a 2.48 ERA, while Justin Showalter boasts 34 strikeouts to just four walks. 

William & Mary Vs. Charleston

Friday, April 15 at 6 p.m. ET; Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m. ET; Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m. ET 

The battle for first place highlights the weekend, with surprising William & Mary visiting surging Charleston. 

William & Mary went 2-1 in each of its first two series against UNCW and Northeastern, then walloped Towson last week in a three-game sweep. Cole Ragone has emerged as one of the CAA’s most consistent hitters with a .360 average, four home runs and 20 RBI. Matt Thomas is batting just under .300 with seven home runs and 27 RBI to pack some additional power into the Tribe lineup. 

Charleston counters with a quartet of .300+ hitters, led by JT Marr, and the outstanding pitching of Connor Campbell. Campbell and Friday starter Ty Good will look to set the tone on the hill.