FROSTBURG, Md. - On the final day of the season, the Christopher Newport softball squad captured the Capital Athletic Conference's regular-season crown with an impressive doubleheader sweep over the Bobcats of Frostburg State. CNU won the opener, 7-5, and then shut out the Bobcats in the nightcap, 4-0.

The victories mean the Captains will host the 2017 CAC Softball Tournament beginning Thursday morning at Captains Park, with CNU the top seed and Frostburg State the second seed.

Christopher Newport jumped to a 5-1 lead in the opening game and held on for the 7-5 triumph. Junior third baseman Brittney Walters opened the scoring with a second-inning solo home run, and junior Morgan Wooddell smacked her second home run in as many days in the sixth inning to pad the CNU lead.

Senior starter Tara Heatwole earned the victory by throwing the first 5.2 innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. Her record improved to 9-5 with the triumph. Freshman Liz Andrews continued her hot hitting, going three-for-four in the opener with two runs batted in.

In the second game, freshman Aubrey Bates went the distance, scattering five hits while not allowing any runs. Bates improved to 10-2 with the victory, striking out four and not allowing any walks. The Captains scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning that proved to be all they would need thanks to Bates' superb effort in the circle. CNU added another single run in the fifth and then posted two insurance runs in the top of the seventh to provide the 4-0 final.

Junior Leah Andrews was three-for-four with two runs scored in the nightcap as the Captains wrapped up the league title at Bobcats Field.

Christopher Newport concludes the regular season with a 28-8 overall record and a 13-1 conference mark. Frostburg State will enter the tournament with a 23-13 record and the Bobcats finished 11-3 in CAC play.

CNU and Frostburg State will be joined by third seed Salisbury as well as fourth-seeded York and fifth-seeded Mary Washington in the five-team CAC tournament. The double-elimination, three-day tournament will begin on Thursday morning with the champion advancing to the NCAA Tournament as an automatic bid.