NEWPORT NEWS, Va.- As the month of February comes to a close, the Christopher Newport University softball squad has a busy first weekend planned. Keith Parr's Captains travel to Lynchburg for a Saturday doubleheader, and then return home to host Averett University on Sunday at Captains Park.

 The Captains, ranked 12th in the nation in pre-season, opened the 2016 campaign with a doubleheader sweep at home over William Peace University on Tuesday. CNU took the opener, 12-4, in five innings...and then posted a 1-0 victory in the nightcap.

Saturday's doubleheader at Lynchburg begins at 12 p.m. The Hornets are also 2-0 to start the season after sweeping Methodist at home last Saturday.

Sunday at Captains Park, CNU hosts the Cougars of Averett in a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Averett has a 3-2 record heading into a doubleheader Saturday at Virginia Wesleyan. Sunday's twin bill begins a stretch of four home doubleheaders in an eight-day span for the Captains.

Christopher Newport is coming off a 30-9 season last year and a ninth-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Captains are picked to win the Capital Athletic Conference in the league's pre-season poll as well as being ranked 12th nationally.