Sharks Sweep on Day 2 in Florida

CLERMONT, Fla. -- Simmons Softball defeated Farmingdale Sate 5-2 and Becker College 11-1 in six innings to sweep the Sharks second day of play at the Dot Richardson Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. 

BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons Softball pulled off a split with neighboring Emmanuel College on Friday night in a Colleges of the Fenway rivalry played under the lights at Roberto Clemente Field.

CLERMONT, Fla. -- Simmons Softball defeated Farmingdale Sate 5-2 and Becker College 11-1 in six innings to sweep the Sharks second day of play at the Dot Richardson Spring Games in Clermont, Fla.

 

Game One: Simmons 5, Farmingdale 2

 

In the bottom of the first, junior Hannah Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.) led off with a triple to right center. Senior Emily Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.) hit a two run double to left center as Mikaela Caracciolo (North Attleboro, Mass.) and H. Cunningham crossed home plate to give the Sharks a 2-0 lead. Heather White (Westfield, Mass.) singled to left center to advance E. Cunningham to third, who then scored on a groundout to first. White added to the Sharks lead when she scored on a passed ball.

 

Marissa Monaco singled for Farmingdale to start the second but Sharks pitcher Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.) struck out the next three batters to end the inning. Simmons put two on base in the bottom of the second but were unable to capitalize. After a quick third and fourth, Farmingdale scored two runs as Backhaus hit two batters in a row with the bases loaded. The Sharks were able to get out of the inning as Backhaus made a quick play to catcher Alison Gauvin (Whitefield, Mass.) to save a run and Gauvin made the final out, unassisted.

 

The Sharks (2-1) added their final run in the bottom of the sixth as Andrea Klarman walked Sharks first year Katie Nosky (Dedham, Mass.) and Christina Mulcahy (Cambridge, Mass.) came home.

 

Backhaus pitched five innings, allowing just one hit an six strikeouts. Amanda Cordeiro (Fall River, Mass.) came in to pitch two innings and gave up one hit.

 
 

Game Two: Simmons 11, Becker 1

 

In the second game, the Sharks (3-1) were first to score. On the third play of the game, senior Emily Cunningham blasted a double to center field. She was driven in by Heather White with a single through the left side.

 

In the second inning, Simmons added six runs. Senior Hannah Cunningham drove in two runs with a double to left field. Cunningham came around to score when Heather White singled to center field. Becker senior Melissa Rhodes drove in Becker's only run of the game, with a ground ball up the middle.

 

Sharks freshman Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) lead off the final inning with her first career triple to right field. Emily Cunningham hit her second double of the game to bring home Rastello and E. Cunningham scored when White doubled to center field. Junior Victoria Luongo (Medford, Mass.) had the final RBI to give Simmons the victory in six innings

 

Simmons freshman pitcher Danielle LeBlanc (Templeton, Mass.) threw a one-hitter in her first collegiate start.