KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Simmons College softball team was defeated by #11 nationally-ranked Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 13-0, this afternoon at the Citrus Games at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee, Fla. The game was stopped after five innings, due to the eight-run mercy rule. The Sharks fall to 1-4 on the season, while the Engineers, who moved up a spot in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Poll, improve to 4-1 on the season.

Sophomore Michaela Reeves (Reading, Mass.) and first year shortstop Ashley Lynch (Shrewsbury, Mass.) each singled to lead Simmons. Sophomore Tori Gomes (Taunton, Mass.) was saddled with the loss, giving up a run on three walks and a wild pitch. 

Junior second baseman Nina Murphy-Cook (Roseville, Calif.), junior center fielder Ama Biney (Worcester, Mass.) and first year catcher Leila Camplese (Tewksbury, Mass.) each collected a pair of hits and knocked in two runs to fuel the WPI attack. Camplese also doubled and scored three runs in her collegiate debut. Junior right fielder RiAnna May (Westminster, Colo.) and junior shortstop Katie Chagami (Waipahu, Hawaii) both collected two hits and drove in a run as well. 

First year pitcher Mackenzie Phillips (Gill, Mass.) registered her first career victory after hurling four shutout innings on two hits and a walk, while striking out seven. 

The Engineers opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning when Biney drew a walk and later scored on an RBI single off the bat of May. WPI tacked on another run in the second after Camplese was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and later scored on a Biney single to center field to give the Engineers a 2-0 lead. 

WPI broke the game open with a five-run third inning, keyed by a two-run single from Murphy-Cook. Junior left fielder Natalie Fabrizio (Hampstead, N.H.) knocked in senior designated player Lindsay Gurska (Revere, Mass.), who had tripled to lead off the inning, and Chagami also plated a run in the frame with a run-producing single. Senior third baseman Kristin Gallagher (Coventry, R.I.) chipped in with a sacrifice fly to plate Chagami and give the Engineers a 7-0 advantage. 

WPI rallied for five more runs in the fourth to increase its cushion to 12-0. Camplese struck the big blow with a two-run double in the inning. The Engineers added another insurance run in the fifth to make it 13-0. 

The Sharks return to action this afternoon with a 3:30 first pitch vs. College of Staten Island, while WPI takes on Meredith College at the same time.