NEWPORT NEWS, Va.- The Christopher Newport softball team returned to action on Monday, and took two games over Roanoke College in Salem by scores of 5-2 and 6-5. The Captains, ranked third in the country the last two weeks, had not seen action in eight days due to two rainouts over the weekend.

Keith Parr's squad is now 16-1 on the season, and will open Capital Athletic Conference play on Saturday against league rival Salisbury at Captains Park.

Monday's non-conference doubleheader at the Moyer Sports Complex saw CNU post two solid pitching performances. Senior Hanah Marshall and junior Tara Heatwole picked up the complete-game victories in the circle for the Captains.

The opener was scoreless going to the sixth inning when the Captains finally broke through for three runs.

Marshall ran her record to 6-0 by throwing six innings of shutout softball in the opener before the Maroons spoiled the shutout with two runs in the seventh. Marshall allowed just three singles and struck out five, and only one of the two runs scored by Roanoke in the seventh was earned.

Senior Scoop Simon did most of the damage at the plate for the Captains. Simon opened the scoring with an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning, and then plated two more runs with another single in the seventh. CNU posted three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh in the 5-2 triumph.

In the nightcap, CNU jumped out to a 6-0 lead and then had to hold on for the 6-5 victory. The Captains scored twice in the first inning, added a run in the second, and three in the fourth before the Maroons were able to get on the board.

Roanoke scored a single run in the fourth, and then put four more unearned runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning, coming up just short in its comeback bid.

Heatwole went the distance and is now 7-1 with the win. She allowed five runs, but only one earned, on six hits. Heatwole wiggled out of the jam in the seventh by getting a fly out stranding the potential game-tying run at third and the potential winning run at first for the Maroons.

Sophomore Leah Andrews smacked her second home run of the season for CNU, a solo shot in the fourth inning.

Simon had another big game at the plate for the Captains, going two-for-five with two doubles and an RBI. She finished the twin bill four-for-nine with four runs batted in.

Junior Jenna Sprinkle knocked in two runs with a fourth inning single that proved to be the game-deciding hit for the Captains.

Roanoke falls to 9-7 with the two losses.

CNU's doubleheader against Salisbury Saturday will begin at 1:30 p.m. at Captains Park.