CLERMONT, Fla. -- Simmons Softball opened their 2013 campaign with a 6-4 victory over the Salve Regina Seahawks Sunday afternoon in Clermont, Fla. The Sharks took a two-run lead in the top of the seventh off a two run homer by Emily Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.) but the Seahawks (1-3) tied the game with a two-run home run by Sara Nelson to send the game into the eighth.

After a scoreless first and second inning, the Sharks (1-0) scored their first run in the third when lead off hitter Jen Field (Windham, Maine) singled and then advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt by Hannah Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.). Ari King (Westport, Mass.) grounded out to first to move Field to third before E. Cunningham singled to the left side and picked up her first RBI of the year.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ali Muehlbronner singled and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Melissa Figueiredo. Marissa Simpson got on first off a Sharks error before Jillian Quintanta reach on a fielder's choice and send Muehlbronner across home plate to tie the game at one.

The Sharks found their bats in the seventh as H. Cunningham led off with a single and E. Cunningham drilled a two-run homer over the center field fence to put the pressure on the Seahawks. But Sara Nelson responded with her own two-run homer to send the game into extra innings.

With Heather White (Westfield, Mass.) on second, Jess Uschmann (Feeding Hills, Mass.) hit a perfect sacrifice bunt to put the Sharks in prime scoring position. Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.) hit a double to the left field fence to score White, and H. Cunningham singled and picked up an RBI to regain the Sharks two run lead. Jenn Cruver threw a wild pitch late in the inning and Field took full advantage, increasing the Sharks lead to three.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Seahawks placed Muehlbronner on second but the Sharks defense was on fire, as Backhaus picked up her seventh strikeout of the game and H. Cunningham fielded a grounder hit by Simpson for the Sharks second out of the inning. Quintana hit a single to the right side to score Muehlbronner to cut Simmons' lead to two but Backhaus struck out Nicole Parry to secure the win.

The Sharks return to action on Monday morning versus Lesley University at 9:00 a.m. and Finlandia University at 11:00 a.m. in Clermont, Fla.