NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport, Champions of the Capital Athletic Conference, got off to a fast start as the 2018 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament got underway Friday afternoon. The Captains, ranked 11th in the nation, defeated Messiah, 13-3, in the opening game of the Newport News Regional at Captains Park.

CNU, now 36-8, will return to play Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. as the Captains will take on top-ranked Virginia Wesleyan, a 9-2 winner over Gettysburg in the second game of the day Friday.

Freshman Patty Maye Ohanian hit two home runs to lead the Captains, including a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning that ended the game due to the eight-run mercy rule. Ohanian, who extended her hitting streak to 24 games, drove in five runs as she also cracked a solo shot in the third inning. The Rookie of the Year in the Capital Athletic Conference now has ten home runs and 62 runs batted in for the season.

After the Captains fell behind early, 1-0, CNU plated two in the second to jump ahead, 2-1, on a sunny and warm day at Captains Park. The Falcons, Champions of the MAC Commonwealth Conference, again went ahead with two in the third frame, 3-2. Keith Parr's squad then took control with four in the third, one in the fourth and six in the fifth to close out the Falcons, who fell to 27-17. Messiah will play Gettysburg Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the first elimination game of the four-team regional.

Sophomore Tara Deck also left the yard for CNU with a two-run shot in the big sixth inning. It was Deck's sixth of the season. Senior shortstop Rachael Payne was three-for-three at the plate with three singles and an RBI as she made her 148th straight start for the Captains. Sophomore starter Laura Kate Moss picked up the victory, pitching the first three innings to improve to 11-4 on the season. Sophomore Aubrey Bates threw two scoreless frames to earn her first save of the year. Messiah starter Joy Kolakowski took the loss to fall to 11-5.

Christopher Newport scored 13 runs on 14 base hits, and the Captains are now 4-5 all-time vs. Messiah. Christopher Newport is only team in the 62-team field making its 12th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. It's also the 16th NCAA showing in program history. The Captains are now 33-30 all-time in NCAA play.

The battle Saturday will be the third meeting of the season between the Captains and Marlins. Virginia Wesleyan swept a doubleheader at Captains Park on April 11th and now holds a 43-35 advantage in the all-time series. The Marlins, National Champions last season, are 46-2 heading into Saturday's matchup.

Live video and stats will again be available on Saturday on CNUsports.com/live beginning shortly before 1:00 p.m. Three games will be played in all as the four-team field is cut in half heading into Sunday's Championship of the Regional.