Lake Myrtle, Fla. - Sophomore Mitch DeLorenzo (Berlin, Conn.) banged out four hits and drove in four runs to support starting pitcher Jonathan Merritt (Milton, Mass.), as Clark opened its 2010 campaign with an 18-13 win over Colby-Sawyer on Saturday morning.

The Cougars, however, dropped game two of the twinbill, 5-3 to the Chargers, who got three hits from Ryan Bernstein in the nightcap.

DeLorenzo helped the Cougars to a quick start by smacking a two-run homer in the first inning. Clark led 6-5, going into the sixth inning when they put seven runs on the board highlighted by two-RBI hits from Phillip DiMarco (Bellingham, Mass.) and junior Kevin Kopec (Katonah, N.Y.).

The Cougars added five more runs in the seventh when they strung together four hits and took advantage of a Colby-Sawyer error that extended the inning.

Merritt, meanwhile, went five innings, scattering ten hits and allowing six earned runs while striking out seven and walking one.

Things got interesting in the bottom of the seventh, as relievers David Balme (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Robert Lopez (Copake, N.Y.) allowed eight runs before Brendan Solecki (Portsmouth, R.I.) came in and got the games final out.

In game two, Bernstein provided the offensive punch for the Chargers and the pitching combination of Ricky Perzentz and Brendan Harding held Clark scoreless over the final six innings to get Colby-Sawyer a 5-2 win.

Freshman Andrew LeBlanc (Farmington, Conn.) went the distance for the Cougars in his first collegiate start, scattering six hits and allowing just two earned runs, while striking out six.

Stephen DeMartino (East Haven, Conn.) and Peter Lewis (Gardiner, Maine) each had two hits and DiMarco and freshman Derek Dubois (Haverhill, Mass.) to lead the Clark offense.

Clark (1-1) will face Saint Joseph's (Maine) beginning at 12:30 p.m.