CNU baseball gets two DI transfers, and both are from the Peninsula District – Daily Press
Christopher Newport University’s baseball team has picked up a pair of Division I arms this offseason.
Nate Matheson and Drew Moyer are transferring from Old Dominion to CNU. Matheson, a junior from Kecoughtan High, has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Moyer, a sophomore from Woodside, has three.
Both are eligible to play immediately.
“It’s huge from the standpoint of their experience level,” CNU coach John Harvell said. “Usually, you get freshmen and you feel good about them, but you know the disadvantage is they don’t have experience at this level. We’re getting two who have that experience.
“It’s nice. In order for us to compete at the highest level, we need one or two to transfer in whenever we can get them.”
Matheson, 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, pitched 27 innings in two seasons for Old Dominion. He made 19 appearances, five of which were starts, and won two of five decisions.
He began last spring as one of ODU’s main weapons out of the bullpen. But after striking out the first three batters he faced — and picking up his first save against Kent State — he gave up seven earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Matheson, a left-hander, said his decision to transfer was based on getting a fresh start.
“It was more of a mutual decision between (ODU coach Chris Finwood) and I,” Matheson said. “I have nothing but respect for him and ODU baseball, but I wanted a change of scenery, a chance to change things up. I wanted a new opportunity.
“I was a little hesitant about CNU because I wanted to get away from home at first,” Matheson continued. “But then I checked out the campus, and I was like, ‘This place is unreal.’ They were two games away from winning a national championship (in 2012). All those factors played into it, and after that, I wanted to go here.”
Moyer, 6-6 and 200 pounds, made one appearance for ODU last spring. Entering a game that was already out of hand — it ended up a 22-1 loss — he gave up five earned runs in one inning against Virginia Tech.
Johnson can be reached by phone at 757-247-4649.