WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Simmons softball swept the Saint Joseph College Blue Jays, 1-0 and 12-4, Saturday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play.

In the first game, Senior Amanda Gould (Kingston, N.H.) hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth to propel the Sharks to a 1-0 victory. Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.) struck out six and only walked one in the win.

After a scoreless first and second in game two, Simmons scored three runs in the third off four hits. Hannah Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.) singled to left field and Katie McCarthy (Falmouth, Maine) followed suit with a singled to right field. Gould walked to load the bases, which set up freshman Alaina DeNoncour (Johnston, R.I.) who hit a line drive double to center field to score Cunningham and McCarthy. Christina Mulcahy (Cambridge, Mass.) singled to send Gould across home plate for the Sharks third run.

The Blue Jays scored a run in the fourth when Ashley Stokes doubled to left field and Colleen Ecsedy grounded out and scored Shauna Sullivan who had reached on a singled.

In the top of the fifth, Gould reached on an error by the shortstop and advanced to second off a singled to left field by Mulcahy. Amanda Cordeiro (Fall River, Mass.) flied out to right field and Gould tagged up to score on the play. Jen Field (Windham, Maine) singled to score Mulcahy and Cailin Pagel (Dorchester, Mass.) reached first on an error by third base. H. Cunningham hit a double to left field to drive in both runners to end the scoring in the inning.

Saint Joseph added two runs in the fifth off a two-run homer by Ashley Gall but the Sharks had their second four-run inning in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

Field and Kate Breslin (Westford, Mass.) each singled and H. Cuningham singled to center field to drive in Field. McCarthy hit a double to center field to pick up two RBI. Jess Uschmann (Feeding Hills, Mass.) hit a line drive single to center field to advance McCarthy and Mulcahy hit a single to centerfield to drive in McCarthy.

Sharks pitcher Amanda Cordiero recorded the win, pitching a complete game with six strikeouts and only one walk.

The Sharks (20-11, 16-4 GNAC) return to action on April 20th, for a conference doubleheader against Pine Manor at 3:00 p.m.