KISSIMMEE, Fla. – First year center fielder Molly Hennessey (Charlton, Mass.) collected three hits and junior pitcher Juliet Nelson (Cumberland, R.I.) threw a complete game to lead the Simmons College softball team to a 4-3 victory over College of Staten Island this afternoon at the Citrus Games at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee, Fla. The Sharks improve to 2-4 on the season, while the Dolphins fall to 1-1. 

Hennessey also drew a walk, scored a run and knocked in a run for Simmons. Sophomore first baseman Alexandra Moleski (Bridgeport, Conn.) went 2-4 with a run batted in, while classmate Taylor LeBrun (Milford, Mass.) drove in a run and finished 1-3 for the day. 

Nelson scattered 11 hits and allowed three runs, while walking two and striking out three to improve to 2-1 on the year for the Sharks. 

First year shortstop Patricia Riches (Staten Island, N.Y.) led Staten Island with a hit in all four trips to the plate, including a double, while sophomore designated player Ashley Notaro (Staten Island, N.Y.) was 2-4 with a double and a run scored on the day. First year center fielder Julianna Cretella (Staten Island, N.Y.) and junior starting pitcher Nicolette Trapani (Brooklyn, N.Y.) each registered a hit and plated a run. Trapani also doubled and scored twice. 

Trapani (0-1) was saddled with the loss, yielding four runs (three earned) on 10 hits and four bases on balls to go with three strikeouts. 

Simmons broke into the scoring column with a pair of runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Hennessey drew a one-out walk, before senior second baseman Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) put both runners in scoring position with a double to right field.  Hennessey scampered home on a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of LeBrun and Rastello later came around to score on a single to right from Moleski. 

The Sharks tacked on another run in the fourth when Lynch reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a Hennesey single to give Simmons a 3-0 margin. The Dolphins pulled to within a run with two scores in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-2. Notaro stroked a leadoff double to left and was followed by a single by first year left fielder Christina Ceverizzo (Staten Island, N.Y.) to put runners on the corners. Trapani reached on a fielder's choice to bring home Notaro with CSI's first run of the contest. Trapani later scored on a two-out double down the left field line by senior second baseman Jacqueline Cautela (Staten Island, N.Y.) to make it a one-run game. 

The Sharks added an important insurance run in the top of the sixth to take a 4-2 lead. Lynch reached on an error to lead off the frame and was bunted over to second by first year left fielder Lauren Del Vacchio (Murrieta, Calif.). Hennessey followed with a two-out single to center and the throw home looked right on target to get Del Vacchio, but was not handled by the catcher as the fourth run of the game crossed for Simmons. Staten Island responded in the bottom of the inning when Trapani cracked a one-out double to the left center gap and scored on a Cretella single to right center. The Dolphins looked to tie the game with Cretella standing on third, but a would-be sacrifice fly was thwarted at the plate for the third out of the inning. 

The Sharks return to action tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. when they take on Meredith College, while Staten Island plays Emerson College at 1:15 p.m.