NEWPORT NEWS, Va.- The 2016 softball season got underway Tuesday at Captains Park, and Christopher Newport opened the season with two non-conference victories over William Peace College.

The Captains, ranked 12th in the nation in pre-season, showed some heavy hitting to win the opener, and then got a stellar pitching effort to take the nightcap over the Pacers. CNU won the first game, 12-4, in five innings...and then posted a 1-0 victory in the second game.

The twin bill was played under the lights for the first time ever at Captains Park, which has undergone significant updates and improvements for the 2016 season.

The Captains homered three times in the first game, accounting for eight runs, en route to the 12-4 five-inning victory, which was shortened due to the eight-run rule. CNU senior outfielder Scoop Simon smacked a three-run home run in the second inning to give the Captains a 5-0 lead. Sophomore third baseman Brittney Walters drilled a three-run homer and sophomore shortstop Rachael Payne clubbed a two-run shot in a deciding six-run fourth inning for the Captains.

Senior lefthander Hanah Marshall went the distance in the opener to get the victory. She allowed four runs on just four hits in five innings of work.

In game two, a newcomer stole the spotlight in the pitching circle for the Captains. Tara Heatwole, a sophomore transfer from Richard Bland College, went the distance and allowed no runs on just one hit in her CNU debut. Heatwole, who threw 103 pitches and struck out three, gave up just a bunt single in the third inning. She retired nine of the last ten batters she faced over the final three innings.

Junior Jenna Sprinkle provided the Captains the only run they would need with a second inning single scoring sophomore Lia Batchelor with the game's lone run. Sprinkle and junior outfielder Rachael Shiflett each had three hits for the day leading the Captains.

William Peace, a member of the USA South Athletic Conference, fell to 5-3 with the losses. The Pacers posted just five base hits off CNU pitching in the twin bill.

CNU received the news that it has been picked as the top team in the Capital Athletic Conference this season. The league released its pre-season poll late Tuesday morning, and the Captains are a slight favorite over Salisbury.

Keith Parr's squad will head on the road for a doubleheader at Lynchburg on Saturday, before returning to Captains Park for a home twin bill Sunday afternoon against Averett.