CLERMONT, Fla. - The Simmons College softball team was defeated by Anderson University, 5-0, and Bowdoin College, 6-3, in a pair of evening contests at the 2015 Spring Games at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. The Sharks finish their Florida trip with a 3-6 record, while Anderson is 2-0 after defeating Simmons and Fontbonne University in a subsequent game. Bowdoin is now 4-2 on the year.

Anderson pitching held the Sharks to just three hits, while scoring single runs in the first and fourth inning, before scoring three times in the sixth for a 5-0 win.

Sophomore center fielder Shelby Shaffer (Greenwood, Ind.) led off the bottom of the first with a single and stole second, before coming home on a two-out infield single by junior first baseman Katie McCool (Lafayette, Ind.) to give Anderson a 1-0 edge. 

Senior shortstop Nichole Frazier (Indianapolis, Ind.) smacked a leadoff single up the middle to begin the Ravens' half of the fourth, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by McCool and scored ahead of a double to right center by sophomore catcher Blake Thomas (Franklin, Ind.) to give Anderson a 2-0 lead.

The Ravens' biggest inning of the night came in the sixth when Frazier sparked the offensive burst with a lead-off single to right field. She moved to second on a ground out and scored on a Thomas single. Sophomore pinch hitter Megan Wade (Evansville, Ind.) later reached on a fielder's choice and sophomore right fielder Bryn Gooding (Daleville, Ind.) reached on an infield single to set up a two-run triple off the bat of senior designated player Samantha Steele (Middlebury, Ind.) to give Anderson a 5-0 lead.

Junior starting pitcher Sami Frazier (Greenfield, Ind.) earned the shutout to improve to 1-0 on the season and allowed just three hits and struck out four for the Ravens. First year Juliet Nelson (Cumberland, R.I.) (0-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs on 12 hits in five and two-thirds innings of work for the Sharks. 

Anderson was led by Thomas and Steele with two hits and two runs batted in apiece, while Frazier and Gooding both had two hits as well. 

Junior Mikaela Caracciolo (North Attleboro, Mass.) registered a single for Simmons to extend her hitting streak to five games, while sophomore right fielder Katie Nosky (Dedham, Mass.) and senior third baseman Alaina DeNoncour (Johnston, R.I.) each collected a single as well.

Bowdoin scored all six of its runs in two different innings with three in the first and three more in the third, while the Sharks rallied for three runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh for the nightcap.

The Polar Bears loaded the bases with the top of their order courtesy of walks from first year center fielder Jordan Gowdy (Weatogue, Conn.) and sophomore first baseman Katie Gately (Rehoboth, Mass.) sandwiched around sophomore pitcher Emily Griffin (Tuscon, Ariz.) reaching on an error. Consecutive sacrifice flies from junior designated player Julia Geaumont (Saco, Maine) and senior right fielder Victoria Rusch (New Canaan, Conn.) brought in the first two runs of the game. Sophomore shortstop Marisa O'Toole (Scarborough, Maine) followed with an RBI single to center to give Bowdoin a 3-0 lead.

Geaumont and Rusch were in the middle of the Polar Bears' rally in the third, registering back-to-back singles to begin the inning. First year catcher Claire McCarthy (Mercer Island, Wash.) later knocked in both runners with a triple to right field, scoring senior pinch-runner Adriane Krul (Ashburnham, Mass.) and Rusch. First year second baseman Ali Miller (Saint Paul, Minn.) followed with a ground out to score McCarthy with the sixth Bowdoin run.

Simmons rallied in the bottom of the seventh when senior pinch hitter Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.) singled through the left side and was followed by a bunt single from senior left fielder Jen Field (Windham, Maine) to put a pair of runners on for senior shortstop Hannah Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.), who doubled both runners home with a shot to the right center gap. Cunningham later advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by Jess Uschmann (Feeding Hills, Mass.) to cut the deficit to 6-3, but it was as close as the Sharks would get.

Griffin earned the victory for the Polar Bears to improve to 1-0 after yielding three runs on on four hits and five walks in addition to eight strike outs, while senior hurler Amanda Cordeiro (Fall River, Mass.) (0-3) suffered the loss for Simmons, giving up six runs (four earned) on eight hits and a pair of walks to go with a strike out.

Geaumont finished with a pair of hits and a run batted in to help pace Bowdoin, while McCarthy scored a run and drove in two others. Nelson joined the Sharks' trio with her first collegiate hit on a double in the second inning. 

The Sharks return to action on Tuesday, March 17 when they travel to Cambridge, Mass. to take on Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 3:00 p.m. Anderson will be in action again tomorrow in Clermont against Universitiy of Saint Thomas at 5:00 p.m., while Bowdoin plays Western New England University on March 15 at 3:00 p.m. at the National Training Center.