Simmons College Softball Falls to SUNY Oneonta, 7-5, in Season Opener

CLERMONT, Fla. – Junior shortstop Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) singled and tripled to lead the Simmons College softball offense in a 7-5 loss to State University of New York this morning at the Spring Games at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla. The Red Dragons improve to 3-0 on the season, while the Sharks fall to 0-1 in their season opener.

Oneonta took advantage of seven Simmons errors in the victory and never trailed after scoring twice in the top of the first. 

Rastello was the only player to register multiple hits on the day, including a triple and also knocked in
a run and scored a run for the Sharks. Senior center fielder Heather White (Westfield, Mass.) plated a pair of runs with a single, while first year Mary Martunas (Rutland, Mass.) collected her first collegiate hit as a pinch-hitter.

First year pitcher Tori Gomes (Taunton, Mass.) suffered the loss in her first career outing for Simmons, tossing seven complete innings, while allowing seven runs (three earned) on seven hits and five walks, while fanning a pair of batters.

Senior second baseman Jamie Whittam (Saugerties, N.Y.) was 1-3 with two runs batted in to go with a walk and a run scored for SUNY Oneonta, while junior shortstop Marlene Cuevas (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) belted a double and drove in a pair of runs. First year designated player Lauren Sabatino (Bayville, N.Y.) and junior third baseman Jenn Brocco (Kingston, N.Y.) each knocked in a run and collected a single for the Red Dragons.

First year pitcher Kate Wood (Suffern, N.Y.) (1-0) earned her first collegiate victory for Oneonta after pitching four one-hit innings in relief, while allowing just two walks.

Cuevas and junior left fielder Katie O'Gorman (Clifton Park, N.Y.) led off the fourth by reaching on errors and moved to third and second, respectively, following a sacrifice bunt. Whittam delivered with a two-run single up the middle to give the Red Dragons a 6-3 lead. The Sharks matched the scoring output in the bottom of the inning when Rastello led off with a triple down the right field line followed by a fielder's choice that first year third baseman Taylor LeBrun (Milford, Mass.) reached on as no outs were recorded, leaving both runners on. White followed with a two-run single to center field to cut the deficit to 6-5 for Simmons. 

 

Sophomore center fielder Ashley Lefebvre (Waterford, N.Y.) reached on a one-out bunt, went to third on an error and later scored on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of O'Gorman to add an insurance run and make it 7-5 in favor of Oneonta.

The Red Dragons got on the board with two runs in the first on a bases-loaded two-run double laced down the right field line by Cuevas. The Sharks cut the margin in half in the bottom of the second on a run-scoring single from Rastello. Oneonta took a 4-1 lead with two runs in the third, courtesy of an RBI single from Sabatino and a sacrifice fly to left from Brocco. Simmons got both runs back, cashing in on three errors in the frame to score a pair of runs and pull to within 4-3.

Oneonta remains at Hancock Park to take on Aurora University at 11:00 a.m., while the Sharks take on State University of New York Potsdam at the same time.