NEWTON, MA - Junior shortstop Kirsten Guerrero (Fairfield, CT) was 3-3 with two runs scored and a run batted in to lead the Mount Ida College softball team in a pair of losses to visiting Simmons College today in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference doubleheader on the campus of Mount Ida in Newton, MA. Simmons won the first game, 5-0, and took the second contest, 17-4 in a game that was halted after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule. The Sharks win their fourth straight to improve to 19-7 overall and 12-4 in GNAC play, while the Mustangs fall to 10-21 and 4-16.
Sophomore starting pitcher Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, CT) faced just one batter over the minimum for Simmons and had retired the first nine batters of Mount Ida's lineup to begin game one, before senior Devan Meeker (Bantam, CT) hit a hot shot to third to reach on a single in the top of the fourth inning. The Sharks' hurler struck out 13, allowed just one hit and did not allow a walk, while improving to 11-3.
The Sharks scored lone runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, before tacking on two more runs in the sixth. Backhaus helped her cause in the third when she put the visitors on the board with a two-out run-scoring single to plate junior catcher Emily Cunningham (Cotuit, MA), who reached on a walk. Simmons took a 2-0 margin in the fourth when freshman right fielder Heather White (Westfield, MA) smacked a leadoff double and later scored on an error. White knocked in the third run of the day on an RBI ground out for the Sharks. Simmons tacked on two insurance runs in the fifth when senior second baseman Cailin Pagel (Dorchester, MA) opened the frame with a single, followed by a base knock from sophomore shortstop Hannah Cunningham (Cotuit, MA) to set up a run-scoring single up the middle from Emily Cunningham. Following an out, Backhaus drove in the final run of the contest to make it 5-0.
Backhaus led the Sharks at the plate, going 4-4 with two runs batted in, while White was 2-4 with a double and an RBI. Emily Cunningham turned in a 2-4 effort as well to go with an RBI and a run scored. Meeker (2-15) allowed five runs (three earned) on 12 hits and two walks, while striking out a pair for the Mustangs.
Simmons broke game two open in the first inning, sending 12 batters to the plate to score nine runs before Mount Ida came to bat. The Sharks took advantage of two errors and also registered six hits and drew three free passes in the frame. Emily Cunningham cracked the scoring column for Simmons with an RBI single, before the visitors loaded the bases to set up RBI walks worked by freshman third baseman Mikaela Caracciolo (North Attleboro, MA) and White to give the Sharks a 3-0 lead. Sophomore starting pitcher Jen Field (Windham, ME), senior Ari King (Westford, MA) and Emily Cunningham also contributed with run-producing singles as Simmons took a 9-0 cushion.
The Mustangs answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, thanks to RBI singles from junior shortstop Kirsten Guerrero (Fairfield, CT) and sophomore Nickole Soto (Marlborough, MA) to cut the deficit to 9-2. The Sharks came right back with three more runs in the second. Caracciolo cracked an RBI double, followed by a sacrifice fly from White. Pagel laced a one-out single to center field to bring home Caracciolo with the 12th run of the contest for Simmons. The Sharks crossed the plate five times in the third to take a 17-2 advantage. Backhaus, White, Field and King all brought in runs with run-scoring singles during the frame, while Pagel drove in run with a sacrifice fly for Simmons.
Mount Ida got a run back in the third when it loaded the bases with two outs. Guerrero began the rally with a single and Soto and freshman Kaitlyn Berube (Fall River, MA) each reached on infield errors, before sophomore Gina Onorevole (Lafayette, NJ) singled home the Mustangs' third run of the second game. The Mustangs added another run in the fifth when freshman catcher Cassie Durand (Dracut, MA) led off with a single and later came around to score on an Onorevole single through the right side to make it 17-4.
Field (1-0) earned the victory in her first start of the season for the Sharks, yielding three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk, while fanning three batters. Freshman Allie Norris (Plymouth, MA) (8-5) was saddled with the loss for Mount Ida, giving up 17 runs (13 earned) on 15 hits and six walks to go with a pair of strikeouts. Emily Cunningham led Simmons at the plate, going 3-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, while King and Field each collected two hits and knocked in a pair of runs. Guerrero led the Mustangs with a 3-3 effort, while driving in a run and scoring twice. Onorevole picked up a pair of hits, while knocking in two runs and Soto also drove in a run with a hit.
The Mustangs will be in action again tomorrow when they host Pine Manor College in a 3:00 p.m. twinbill, while Simmons hosts Johnson & Wales University tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. as well.