WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Simmons Softball opened their 2013 Great Northeast Athletic Conference season with a split as they defeated the University of Saint Joseph Blue Jays, 4-2 in game one but fell 6-2 in game two Thursday afternoon. The Sharks move to 6-4 overall and 1-1 in the league, while Saint Joseph is 9-5 overall and 2-2 in the GNAC.

Game One:

The Blue Jays scored first in the bottom of the second off an RBI triple by Patti Sciglimpaglia but the Sharks rebounded with a four-run top of the third as Emily Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.) had a two-run double in the rally and Heather White (Westfield, Mass.) and Christina Mulcahy (Cambridge, Mass.) had run-scoring singles.

Sarah Miller an RBI-single in the sixth, but the Blue Jays were unable to come back as the Sharks picked up the win, 4-2. Mulcahy finished the game 3-for-3 and had four hits on the day and Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.) recorded the win for the Sharks.

Game Two:

After a scoreless first two innings, Patti Sciglimpaglia allowed six singles, one walk, two unearned runs and struck out four to earn her fourth win of the season in the late game, the Sharks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third as Alaina DeNoncour (Johnston, R.I.) hit an RBI single to centerfield and Backhaus singled through the left side to score E. Cunningham.

USJ answered with three runs in the bottom of the third as Hummel and Ashley Gall had RBI-singles and Hummel scored on a throwing error following Gall's hit. St. Joseph scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for the final margin. Shauna Sullivan had an RBI-single in the fifth. Simmons sophomore Amanda Cordeiro (Fall River, Mass.) picked up the loss for the Sharks.

St. Joseph hosts Johnson & Wales Sat. March 30 in a GNAC doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m. Simmons next plays at UMass-Boston, Fri. March 29 in a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.