BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons Softball fell the to the University of Saint Joseph Blue Jays, 3-1 Wednesday afternoon in the single elimination first round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament. Simmons junior Emily Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.) led the Sharks with two hits.

USJ (33-10) took a 1-0 first-inning lead. With two outs, Emily Hummel singled up the middle, Ashley Gall walked and Patti Sciglimpaglia walked. Mary Sciglimpaglia then reached on an infield single deep in the shortstop hole to score Hummel.

Patti Sciglimpaglia and Simmons pitcher Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.) dominated the next few innings as neither team was able to mount a scoring threat. Simmons finally broke through in the top of the fifth. Ari King (Westford, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, Jen Field (Windham, Maine) singled to left and Cailin Pagel (Dorchester, Mass.) hit a bleeder behind the mound for an infield single that loaded the bases with no out. Mikaela Caracciolo (North Attleboro, Mass.) hit a sacrifice fly and King scored to tie the game. But Sciglimpaglia worked out of the inning, inducing a fly out and getting help from Mary behind the plate who picked off a runner to end the inning.

The Blue Jays scored the eventual winning runs in the bottom of the fifth. Haley McCall doubled to lead off for USJ and went to third on a bunt by Stephanie Valerio. Hummel then delivered a single into short right field to McCall with a go-ahead run. Hummel went to second on a walk to Gall and came home on Mary Sciglimpaglia's single down the left field line.

Patti Sciglimpaglia allowed four singles, one walk and struck out 11 to improve to 13-5 on the season. Backhaus (13-6) struck out nine, walked two and allowed six hits in six innings. 

The Sharks finish the 2013 season with an overall record of 22-13 and 15-9 in the conference.