TUCSON --  The Eastern Connecticut State University softball team was held to four hits and one unearned run in two games Sunday as it opened the 2017 season with a 3-0 loss to Suffolk University and 9-1 loss to UW-La Crosse  in a game stopped with the Eagles batting in the bottom of the fifth due to the eight-run rule.

In her collegiate debut against Suffolk (2-1), first-year freshman transfer lefty Jacky Arndt (Chelmsford, MA) was stellar in 4 1/3 innings, shutting down the Rams without a run and on just two hits while fanning three and walking one in in relief of senior righty starter Samantha Valentine (Ridge, NY). After giving up an RBI single to the first batter she faced in the second, Arndt allowed only three baserunners over the final four full innings.

Suffolk junior righty Ali Yamakaitis (2-0) twirled a complete-game three-hit shutout, fanning five without a walk, facing only four batters over the minimum and never allowing more than one baserunner in an inning. Yamakaitis set down the first eight batters in order (four on strikeouts) before No. 9 hitter Rebecca DeFeo (Exeter, RI) singled.

Freshman shortstop Sara Pisanelli (Wallingford) was credited with her first collegiate hit against Suffolk, a winner of 30 games a year ago. The No. 5 batter singled with one out in the seventh but was later erased on a ground ball.

Eastern was held hitless against La Crosse (3-2) after senior centerfielder Samantha Bardos (Norwalk) opened the game with a single up the middle.

Freshman lefty  Morgan Sanson (Thomaston) was lifted in favor of freshman righty Haleigh Cardello (Litchfield, NH) three batters into the second inning when UWL batted around and scored four runs on two hits, a hit batter, walk and sacrifice bunt. UWL sophomore Ashley Lindstrom led off the inning with a home run and No. hitter Jenny Gallagher later stroked a two-run triple.

In Tucson Monday, Eastern faces Greenville College at noon EDT and Central College (IA) at 2 p.m. EDT.