WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – Senior Heather White (Westfield, Mass.) tripled and knocked in two runs to lead the Simmons College softball team in a 5-2 loss to Worcester Polytechnic Institute this afternoon at the 2016 Spring Games in Winter Garden, Fla. at Foundation Park. The Sharks fall to 4-4 on the season, while the Engineers improve to 6-2. 

White led Simmons on both sides of the ball, driving in two runs with a triple, while collecting a pair of assists, including a strike to the plate to prevent a run. Junior second baseman Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) was 2-3 with a run scored and first year catcher Taylor LeBrun (Milford, Mass.) was 1-3 for the Sharks. 

First year southpaw Michaela Reeves (Reading, Mass.) (2-2) suffered the loss for Simmons, yielding five runs on 11 hits and two walks to go with three strikeouts. 

Junior catcher Lindsay Gurska (Revere, Mass.) sparked the WPI offense with two runs batted in and was 1-3 in the game. First year designated player Kylie Juarez (Elk Grove, Calif.) and sophomore left fielder Nina Murphy-Cook (Roseville, Calif.) each collected a pair of hits and knocked in a run. Juarez also crossed the plate twice. Sophomore center fielder Ama Biney (Worcester, Mass.) was on base all day for the Engineers, working a pair of walks to go with a triple and a single, while scoring two runs. 

Senior pitcher Clare Doolin (Newton, Mass.) improved to 3-0 with the victory for WPI, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk, while striking out two. Junior reliever Caroline Medino (Pompton Lakes, N.J.) set down all six batters she faced to earn the save. 

The Engineers snapped a 2-2 tie in the fourth when they scored three runs. Sophomore shorststop Katie Chagami (Waipahu, Hawaii) reached on a one-out single and Biney followed with a walk, before Juarez loaded the bases with an infield single. Murphy-Cook gave WPI a 3-2 lead with a two-out single to third base. Gurska followed with a single to center to plate two more runs for a 5-2 Engineer margin. 

The Sharks got on the board first when senior shortstop Mikaela Caracciolo (North Attleboro, Mass.) reached on an error and Rastello singled down the right field line. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch and scored ahead of a double to left off the bat of White to give Simmons a 2-0 lead. 

WPI answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Biney led off with a triple and scored on a single to right from Juarez. Murphy-Cook beat out an infield single and sophomore right fielder Natalie Fabrizio (Hampstead, N.H.) stroked a single to right to bring Juarez around to score and even the score at 2-2. 

Simmons returns to action when it travels to Cambridge, Mass. on Wednesday, March 16 to play Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 4:15 p.m., while WPI is in action again tomorrow when they take on Bethel University (Minn.) at 9:00 a.m. in Clermont, Fla.