MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Felician University softball team began its 2018 season with a pair of non-conference losses on Friday afternoon during the Snowbird Freeze-Out event at the Ned Donkle Complex. Felician was defeated by Merrimack College, 5-2, before dropping a 6-0 decision to Southern New Hampshire University. Both of Friday's opponents were fellow members of the NCAA Division II East Region and play in the Northeast 10 Conference.

Felician junior Mia Montoya (Cypress, Calif.) went 3 for 6 on the day. Senior left fielder Jeannette Roldan (Hesperia, Calif.) and freshman shortstop C.J. Apacible (Long Beach, Calif.) both had a hit in each game.

In the Golden Falcons' season opener, Merrimack, the designated home team, picked up a run in the first inning and two more in the third off of Felician senior right-hander Ashley Owens (Lockport, N.Y.). Felician finally broke though against Warrior pitcher Brooke Bogacz (Tyngsboro, Mass.) in the top of the fifth.

With one out, Jaimie Parisi (Hackensack, N.J.) blasted a double. Bogacz induced a groundout, but Apacible followed with her first career hit to put the Golden Falcons on the scoreboard. Singles by Roldan and Isabella Bradian (Mount Royal, N.J.) followed, but after Apacible scored to pull the Golden Falcons to within 3-2, Roldan was cut down at third base to end the inning.

Merrimack took control by plating two runs on four hits in the home half of the fifth. Warrior reliever Bridget Soraghan (Litchfield, N.H.) struck out three batters in two scoreless innings, the final one with the potential tying run at the plate in the seventh, and was credited with a save.

Senior Alyssa Williamson (Scarborough, Maine) had a double, home run, and two RBI for the Warriors, who out-hit Felician, 10-7. Bradian and Parisi picked up two hits apiece for the Golden Falcons.

Later on Friday, Felician fell victim to a strong individual performance by Southern New Hampshire pitcher Sarah Lavallee (Candia, N.H.). The senior right-hander tossed six shutout innings, allowing five hits, and, batting in the No. 4 spot, hit a pair of home runs.

The Penmen, the designated visiting team, pushed across two unearned runs in the top of the third. They followed up an early Felician error with a Brittany Perdigao (Stoughton, Mass.) sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Erin Garczynski (Norwood, Mass.).

Lavallee, who was in control in the circle from the start, took over offensively from there. She capped a three-run fifth-inning SNHU rally with a two-run home run, and homered again leading off the seventh for the final margin.

Montoya, starting as the designated player, went 3 for 3. Roldan had a double and Apacible garnered the Golden Falcons' only other hit. Felician junior pitcher Erin Powers (Aberdeen, N.J.) went the distance, yielding four earned runs on eight hits.

Felician's five-game stay in the Snowbird Freeze-Out continues with two contests on Saturday. The Golden Falcons face Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference foes West Chester University at noon and Slippery Rock University at 2 p.m. at the Donkle Complex.