EAST BOSTON, Mass. - The Simmons College softball team rallied to tie game one in the seventh, but fell in the eighth inning to visiting Suffolk University, before losing game two as well, 10-0, today in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play at Memorial Stadium in East Boston. The Sharks fall to 11-14 overall and 5-9 in league play, while the Rams extend their win streak to four straight and improve to 20-6 and 11-3.
Junior second baseman Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) led the Simmons offense, going 3-5 with a double and a run scored for the afternoon.
Sophomore catcher Delaney Sylvester (Worcester, Mass.) was 5-7 with five runs batted in to lead Suffolk and the Rams' pitching allowed just one run on six hits and no walks for the day. Sylvester also added a double and a run scored for Suffolk, while sophomore left fielder Morgan Parmeter (Maynard, Mass.) was 3-6 on the day with a walk, a run batted in, a run scored and a stolen base.
Sophomore starting pitcher Ali Yamakaitis (Avenel, N.J.) gave up just one run on three hits in eight complete innings, while striking out four to earn the game one victory for the Rams and improve to 8-3. Classmate Taylor Holmes (Ashford, Conn.) (8-1) hurled a three-hit shutout in game two and fanned seven batters in five complete innings to earn the win.
Sylvester knocked in the game-winning run for Suffolk with a one-out to single to center to score sophomore right fielder Devlin Frost (Tewksbury, Mass.), who began the inning on second as part of the international tie-breaker rule.
The Rams scored the first run of the opening game in the top of the second when first year designated player Jill Pulek (Cheshire, Conn.) drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a two-out single up the middle off the bat of first year shortstop Evelyn Marquis (Oxford, Mass.).
Sophomore Cat Record (Cotuit, Mass.) (1-4) pitched six innings of five-hit relief for Simmons, allowing an unearned run, while setting down three batters on strikes and giving up no walks.
Suffolk's offense came alive in game two with 10 runs on 13 hits. The Rams scored three times in the top of the first thanks to a three-run double by Sylvester. Senior center fielder Meredith Ball (Nahant, Mass.) led off the frame with a single, Frost reached on an error and Pulek was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out to set up Sylvester's big blow. Suffolk tacked on two more runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead. Sylvester and Parmeter each singled with two outs, before junior first baseman Lindsay Pagano (Wyckoff, N.J.) was able to plate Sylvester with an infield single to shortstop. Sophomore second baseman Madison Eucalitto (Old Saybrook, Conn.) hit a single through left side to bring home the fifth run for Suffolk.
The Rams increased their lead to 7-0 with two more runs in the fourth. Frost kept the inning alive with a two-out walk and Pulek followed with a single before Sylvester's single down the right field line drove in Frost. Parmeter followed with a single to center to bring around Pulek with the seventh run. Suffolk put the game away with three more two-out runs in the fifth. First year third baseman McKenzie McGrath (Exeter, N.H.) and first year shortstop Jaclyn Flint (Medfield, Mass.) each singled and trotted home ahead of Frost's fourth home run of the season over the center field fence to give the Rams a 10-0 lead.
Rastello and first year third baseman Dominique Ortiz (Lawrence, Mass.) each singled to open the bottom of the fifth for the Sharks, but they were unable to push a run across the plate and were shut out for the first time this season.
Nelson took the loss as the game two starter for Simmons, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk, while striking out a batter.
The Sharks return to the diamond on Saturday, April 23 when they head to New Haven, Conn. to take on GNAC rival Albertus Magnus College for a 12:00 p.m. twinbill, while Suffolk hosts Salem State University tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.