Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Misericordia softball team opened their season with a couple of close losses in Clermont, FL at the NTC Complex.

MU fell in the opener to Bethany 4-3, and then lost another tight game to Cornell, 9-8, in the afternoon match-up.

Bethany was the team that ended the Cougars season last year in the ECAC Championships, and this game started similarly, with Bethany taking an early lead. But MU's bats came alive in the fourth

Melissa Parker smashed a ball over the centerfield wall for MU's opening run of the season and exacted some revenge on the Bethany pitcher who struck her out twice in the previous match-up.

Lori Brennan drew a walk (Abby Marzzacco came in and pinch ran for her), and then two batters later Caitlin Kennedy notched the first hit of her collegiate career, a homerun to left-center, giving MU a 3-2 lead.

Bailee Schies shut the door on Bethany for the fourth and fifth innings and then stranded a runner on third to escape trouble in the sixth.

In seventh however, Bethany would use a single, a walk and a pass ball to get runners on second and third before slapping a 2 run walk-off single up into centerfield.

Melanie Quintanilla went 2-4 in the game, while Parker added two walks to her home-run.

Schies took the loss against Bethany, striking out seven while allowing eight hits.

In the second match-up, MU started early with Quintanilla drawing walk, Marzzacco hitting a single and then two batters later Parker drew another walk to load the bases.

Brennan smashed a base clearing double to give MU a 3-0 lead in the first.

Bethany got one back in the top of the third, but MU would respond in the bottom of the inning.

First Quintanilla drew another walk, Marzzacco singled again and then Whitney Ellenberg laid down a nice sacrifice bunt that advanced the runners.

Parker and Brennan drew back to back walks which scored Quintanilla and then Kennedy reached first on an error that scored Marzzacco.

Jessica Pluta then popped up to first which scored Parker from third, giving MU a 6-1 lead.

Cornell responded with a five hit, five run inning that knotted the game at 6-6, and then the Rams tacked on two more runs, to take a 8-6 lead. They tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh to make it 9-6 Cornell, and there's a reason it's called an insurance run.

Marzzacco continued her strong day at the plate by hitting another single and Ellenberg followed her up with another single. Parker then ripped a double to leftfield scoring both runs to get MU within one at 9-8, but the rally ended there.

Alissa Steier took the loss against Cornell, allowing six hits in relief of Jordan Hoffman.

Quintanilla had another strong game at the plate, notching three walks and a single while Marzzacco went 3-3 and scored three runs.

MU returns to the field tomorrow, to play Wheaton (IL) at 3:00 and Ohio Wesleyan at 7:00.