NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Simmons College softball team dropped game one of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference doubleheader to host Albertus Magnus College, 5-3, before rebounding to win game two, 3-2, this afternoon at Celentano Field in New Haven, Conn. The Sharks are now 12-15 overall and 6-10 in league play, while the Falcons are 18-10, 9-7.

Simmons senior shortstop Mikaela Caracciolo (North Attleboro, Mass.) was the only player to register multiple hits in each of the games for the day, going 2-3 in each game, while scoring a run in game one and smacking a double in game two. First year Taylor LeBrun (Milford, Mass.) was 3-6 with a double and two runs batted in.

Sophomore right-hander Cat Record (Cotuit, Mass.) (2-4) made her first start in conference play from the pitching circle and went the distance with a seven-inning victory in game two for the Sharks, scattering nine hits in allowing two runs in addition to issuing three free passes.

The teams were both scoreless through the first four innings of the second contest, before all five runs in the game were scored in the fifth inning. Simmons loaded the bases with one out when sophomore first baseman Juliet Nelson (Cumberland, R.I.) reached on an error and junior catcher Alison Gauvin (Whitefield, Maine) and classmate Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) each singled to left field. Caracciolo reached on an error and all three runs scored on the play thanks to an errant throw that went out of play.

Sophomore designated player Kirsten McGinty (East Lyme, Conn.) cracked a leadoff double in the bottom of the frame for Albertus Magnus and junior center fielder Megan Kelly (Bronx, N.Y.) drew a one-out walk. Following an out, Whitfield lined an RBI single down the left-field line and two batters later senior Alyssa Pucillo (Milford, Conn.) followed with a run-scoring single through the left side to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Falcons looked to score again in the bottom of the seventh when they loaded the bases with no outs. Kelly, sophomore third baseman Gillian Fortier (Naugatuck, Fl.) and Whitfield all singled in the inning to put the winning run on second. Record got Puccilli to line into an unassisted double play thanks to stellar defense by Nelson at first base. Record got out of the jam by inducing a groundout to end the threat and the game.

Albertus Magnus junior pitcher Shyleen Ortiz (New Britain, Conn.) was saddled with the loss after throwing a complete game and surrendering three runs (none earned) on six hits. She also  struck out four, while Simmons took advantage of a trio of Falcon errors.

Albertus Magnus scored three times in the bottom of the second of game one. Fortier and Pucillo keyed the frame with run-scoring singles each. Albertus Magnus tacked on another run in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. Sophomore catcher Daysia Wehder (Queens, N.Y.) knocked in the run with a single up the middle. 

The Sharks cut the deficit to 4-3 with a trio of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Caracciolo ripped a one-out single and senior center fielder Heather White (Westfield, Mass.) followed with an RBI double to left. First year Alexandra Moleski (Bridgeport, Conn.) then singled to put runners on the corners and set up a two-run double off the bat of LeBrun to pull the visitors to within a run. The Falcons added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning when a one-out double by sophomore first baseman Melissa Castillo (Taftville, N.Y.) led to a run on an illegal pitch later in the inning to make it 5-3. 

In the circle, Megan Ferraro (Branford, Conn) earned her team-leading 11th win of the season for Albertus Magnus, going to the distance and scattering eight hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts. Ferraro surrendered all three of her runs in the sixth frame, but bounced back with a one-two-three seventh to seal the win.

First-year hurler Tori Gomes (Taunton, Mass.) suffered with the loss for Simmons, tossing five innings and surrendering four earned runs on 10 hits and four bases on balls.

The Sharks will be in action again tomorrow when they head to Providence, R.I. to take on Johnson & Wales University for a 1:00 p.m. twinbill, while the Falcons travel to Newton, Mass. to play Mount Ida College at 12:00 p.m.