BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons Softball fell to the Emerson College Lions 6-2 and 4-1 in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference double-header Saturday evening at Rotch Field.

Game One:

The Sharks trailed the Lions 3-2 headed into the seventh inning but a three-run homer to center field by Shannon Torosian gave the Lions all the runs they'd need to defeat the Simmons, 6-2.

Simmons junior Emily Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.) put the Sharks on the board with a solo shot to left center in the bottom of the first. After a scoreless second inning, the Lions roared back as Amanda Horton led off with a bunt single and then stole second. Torosian doubled to centerfield to score Horton and Nikki Delaney singled through the left side to score Torosian to take a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth, the Sharks defense denied the Lions in a one, two, three half inning but Emerson's pitcher Lauren Jacaruso struck out one and the Lions defense kept the Sharks down one. In the bottom of the fifth, Jen Field (Windham, Maine) hit a double down the left field line to start things off for the Sharks. Cailin Pagel (Dorchester, Mass.) followed up with a singled to advance Field to third before Mikaela Caracciolo (North Attleboro, Mass.) reached on an error by the left fielder but Field was able to score from third to tie the game. With two on base, E. Cunningham hit a sacrifice fly out to left but a Sharks runner left early for the final out to end the inning.

Emerson regained the lead in the top of the sixth when Delaney doubled to right center and Alicia Daniele hit a sacrifice bunt to move Delaney to third. Brittany Rochford reached first on a Sharks error to score Delaney for a 3-2 lead.

Alaina DeNoncour (Johnston, R.I.) singled up the middle for the Sharks in bottom of the sixth but the Lions turned a double play to end the inning. With a one-run lead, Emerson's Torosian hit a three-run home run to centerfield to put the Lions up 6-2. The Sharks had last ups but were unable to convert.

Sharks pitcher Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.) pitched a complete game and recorded five strikeouts, while Jacaruso picked up the win, allowing four hits with 10 strikeouts.

Game Two:

The Lions took an early 1-0 lead as Bianca Buono hit a home run with two outs over the left field fence. Simmons pitcher Amanda Cordeiro (Fall River, Mass.) struck out the final batter to give the Sharks their first at bat.

Emily Cunningham singled to right field in the bottom of the first but Daniele struck out the next batter to end the inning.

After a scoreless second and third, the Sharks loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth as Victoria Luongo (Medford, Mass.) singled up the middle and Field followed suit with a single through the right side. Caracciolo walked to put the Sharks in prime scoring position but Daniele made the final out to end the inning.

The Lions scored three runs in the top of the sixth as Horton doubled to right field and Torosian walked and later scored when Delaney reached on an error and Alexandra Wysota singled through the left side. Daniele then singled on a bunt down the third base line as Delaney scored to put the Lions up 4-0.

Simmons scored their lone run in the bottom of the sixth when E. Cunningham singled up the middle to score Pagel from second.

With the loss, the Sharks move to 22-10 on the season and 15-7 in the GNAC while the Lions move to 20-12 and 17-3 in the conference. Cordeiro records the loss allowing five hits with seven strikeouts.

The Sharks finish their regular season tomorrow at Saint Joseph's (Me.) with a double-header set to begin at 12:00 p.m.