Simmons Softball earned a 12-2 Great Northeast Athletic Conference victory over Norwich University in the opener of Saturday's GNAC doubleheader before falling 6-2 in game two to the Cadets (6-16, 6-8 GNAC). With the split, the Sharks are now 19-11 on the season, 15-3 in the conference.

In game one, Simmons senior shortstop Annie Thompson (Pacific Palisade, Calif.) led a 13-hit effort for the Sharks with two doubles and three total hits as well as two RBIs. Freshman Christina Mulcahy (Cambridge, Mass.) and junior Sami Hodgkins (Putney, Vt.) each had two RBIs as well for the Sharks.

Simmons' starter Courtney Collier (Bolton, Mass.) picked up her ninth win of the season after giving up two runs while striking out four.

In game two, Norwich freshman Kylie Pratt pitched a complete game six-hitter to limit the high-octane Simmons' offense to just two runs after they came into Saturday's doubleheader hitting over .350 as a team.

The Cadets wasted little time jumping on top as Abby Belcher and Erin Clark put together back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the first inning. They both came around to score on RBI singles from Marley Balasco and Noel Byers as the first four Norwich hitters reached base safely off Simmons' starting pitcher Sammi Letizio (Windham, N.H.).

The Sharks cut the deficit back to 2-1 in the top of the fourth when Collier laced an RBI double to score Emily Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.).

Simmons added a run in the top of the seventh when Amanda Gould (Fremont, N.H.) plated Cailin Pagel (Dorchester, Mass.). But, that's as close as the Sharks would get as Gould was called out for runner's interference after Hodgkins hit a ground ball to shortstop.

Simmons returns to action when they play a GNAC home game vs. Lasell at the visitors' field at 3:00pm.