WEST HAVEN, Conn. -- Simmons Softball swept the Albertus Magnus Falcons in the opening of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Friday night in West Haven.  Simmons took game one with a 7-1 victory before defeating the Falcons 12-1 in five innings in the nightcap.

In game one of the evening doubleheader, Simmons took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning led by two hits, including a bases-clearing double by Emily Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.).

Albertus got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame as Alyssa Puccilli scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman Jessica Seaver.  Puccilli led off the inning with a single before moving to second on a Brittney Urciuoli base hit.  Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Amanda Jessey before Seaver's RBI flyout.

Simmons added three more runs in the fourth inning as they did in the third.  This time it was Mikaela Caracciolo (North Attleboro, Mass.) with the bases-clearing double to give the Sharks a 6-1 lead.  The Sharks added their final run of the contest in the sixth as a fielder's choice by Heather White (Westfield, Mass.) scored Hannah Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.) from third.

Shyleen Ortiz fell to 4-3 on the year as she threw 4.0 innings, while allowing six runs on five hits and four walked batters.  Brianna Longley threw the final three innings for Albertus as she allowed one run on four hits and two walked batters.

Simmons' Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.) threw a complete game in the victory as she allowed just four hits and struck out seven to improve to 5-2 on the year.

In game two of the night, Simmons recorded 12 runs on 11 hits in a dominating 12-1 win over the Falcons.

Megan Kelly  took the loss on the hill for the Falcons to drop to 0-1 on the year from the hill.  She threw two innings and gave up 10 runs, eight earned, on eight hits.  Longley pitched three innings and gave up two runs on three hits.

Despite the loss, Carli Matrisian led the Falcons with a 2-for-2 outing to go along with an RBI double, which scored Jessey in the bottom of the third inning to put a run on the board for the Falcons.

Simmons recorded a four-run first inning followed by an eight-run third en route to the conference victory.

Caracciolio went 3-for-3 for the Sharks with two runs scored, four RBI, and a home run.

Puccilli and Jessey each added a hit for the Falcons.

Amanda Cordeiro (Fall River, Mass.) earned the win for Simmons as she threw five innings, while allowing just one run on four hits.