WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – First year Dominique Ortiz (Lawrence, Mass.) knocked in three runs to help the Simmons College softball team to a 10-6 victory over Marywood University this morning at the 2016 Spring Games in Winter Garden, Fla. at Foundation Academy Field. The Sharks improve to 4-3 on the season, while the Pacers fall to 3-4. 

Simmons did most of its damage in the second inning with nine runs and finished the contest with 10 hits as eight of the nine starters in the line-up all collected at least one hit. 

Ortiz was 1-4 with a double and a run scored for the Sharks, while senior center fielder Heather White (Westfield, Mass.) was 2-4 with a double and two runs scored and first year catcher Mary Martunas (Rutland, Mass.) was 2-3 with a run scored in her first collegiate start. First year right fielder Michaela Reeves (Reading, Mass.) was 1-3 with a triple and a run scored and junior left fielder Emma D'Arpino (Johnston, R.I.) knocked in a run, collected a single and scored a run. 

First year hurler Tori Gomes (Taunton, Mass.) (2-2) earned the victory for Simmons, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out two. 

Senior first baseman Steph Bagniewski (Cranford, N.J.) led Marywood, going 2-3 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and two runs scored, while junior third baseman Brooke Labs (Perkasie, Pa.) went 2-4 with a run scored. First year pitcher Kirstie Alvarez (Monroe, N.Y.) (3-1) also drove in a run with a hit for the Pacers. 

Alvarez was saddled with the loss for Marywood, yielding 10 runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk. 

The Pacers' offense looked like they would have their way with the Sharks in the top of the first as the first five batters to come to the plate all reached safely. Sophomore shortstop Alexa Scala (Bethlehem, Pa.) worked a leadoff walk and junior left fielder Malory Porada (Cuddebackville, N.Y.) followed with a single before Labs singled down the right field line and Scala later scored with some aggressive base running. Bagniewski plated another run with a double to left to give Marywood a 2-0 lead. Labs later scored on a wild pitch and Bagniewski came around to score ahead of a run-scoring single from Alvarez to give her team a 4-0 cushion. 

Simmons took advantage of three Pacers' errors in the second inning, sending a dozen batters to the plate with nine of them scoring to take a 9-4 lead. Ortiz highlighted the inning with a three-run double in her second plate appearance of the frame. First year designated player Alexandra Moleski (Bridgeport, Conn.), junior second baseman Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) and first year third baseman Taylor LeBrun (Milford, Mass.) all registered RBI base knocks in the inning as well for the Sharks. 

Simmons added another run in the third when Reeves smacked a leadoff triple to right center and came around to score on a D'Arpino single to center to make it 10-4. Marywood looked to rally in the seventh when the Sharks committed three errors, combined with a Bagniewski double, which led to a pair of Pacer runs to cut the deficit to 10-6, but it was as close as they would get. 

Simmons continues play with a 1:00 p.m. tilt vs. Worcester Polytechnic Institute at 1:00 p.m. at Foundation Academy Field, while Marywood takes on Lebanon Valley College.