MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Clarion softball team opened its season at the February Freeze-Out on Friday, falling 5-1 to New Haven and 7-2 to Merrimack to open the tournament.  The Golden Eagles will continue their weekend with a pair of games on Saturday afternoon.
 
Jessica Cartia went 5-of-7 with two doubles, a triple and an RBI at the plate over both games, returning to from as the Golden Eagles' leading slugger.  Rebecca Kelley went 3-of-5 with an RBI, and Brooke Cline made her collegiate debut with two hits in the opener against New Haven.
 
Macy Rubin (0-1) started the opener for the Golden Eagles and settled down after a rocky first inning to finish the game.  After allowing four runs in the top of the first inning, she limited New Haven to one run and three hits over the rest of the game, including five shutout innings over the last six innings in the morning session.  Kelley (0-1) took the loss in the second game, allowing just two earned runs but seven total in six innings of action.
 
New Haven scored five unanswered runs to start the first game, including four in the first inning.  Cartia put Clarion on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning, driving in Moriah Lynn with an RBI triple after Lynn led off with inning with a double.  Kelley lifted a one-out fly ball to left field in the next at-bat but Cartia was unable to come across, and New Haven got out of the inning and held on for the win.
 
In the nightcap, Merrimack opened the game with four runs in the first inning, but the Golden Eagles cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third.  Lynn opened the inning with a single and advanced to third on a one-out double by Cartia.  Lynn eventually scored on a wild pitch that advanced Cartia to third, but Hannah Norton flew out to end the inning.  Kelley added a one-out RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring Nicole Collins to make it 7-2.  Merrimack shut the Clarion offense down in the final two innings for the win.