Courteney Collier (Bolton, Mass.) went 2-for-5 with a double and four runs batted in, and Ashley Wheeler (Nashua, N.H.) was 3-for-5 with three RBIs to help lead eighth-seeded Simmons (15-21) past fifth-seeded Norwich, 13-7, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament game Wednesday afternoon.
The Sharks were all business from the beginning, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Annie Thompson (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) led off with a single up the middle. Emily Nalband (Litchfield, Conn.) reached first on a fielder's choice. Sam Green (Bridgewater, Mass.) followed with a single that moved Nalband to third. Leah Derderian (Boylston, Mass.) followed with an RBI double, scoring Nalband. Wheeler then collected an RBI of her own, singling in Green. Collier then brought in Derderian on a fielder's choice up the middle.
In the bottom of the first, Norwich's Ellsworth lead off with a single to right, but would eventually be thrown out by Nalband on an attempted steal. The Cadets got one run back when Lindsay Carey blasted a solo homer, bringing the score to 3-1.
The Sharks extended their lead to 4-1 in the top of the third inning. Thompson, Green and Derderian strung three singles in a row, with Derderian driving in Thompson to make the score 4-1.
In the bottom of the third, with two outs and no one on, Norwich's Marley Balasco walked and Carey hit two-run homer to bring the Cadets within one run of the Sharks, 4-3.
The Cadets took their first lead of the game in the fourth inning when Ellsworth ripped a three-run home run over the left field fence to give Norwich a 6-4 advantage.
The Sharks were resilient and didn't waste any time getting the runs back as they scored two in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 6 apiece.
Simmons blew the game wide open with seven runs in the sixth. Stephanie Murray (Groveland, Mass.) led off the inning for Simmons with a walk and stole second base. Thompson followed with a single. With two on and no one out, Green singled in Murray. Derderian then hit a fielder's choice back to the pitcher – who unsuccessfully tried to fake out Thompson at third base. Bases were then loaded and Wheeler, who had a hot bat all day, lined a shot to right field, scoring Thompson and Green easily.
The Sharks were not finished yet- Collier then singled in both Derderian and Wheeler, but was picked off between second and first. Kristen Souza (New Bedford, Mass.) started up the inning again when she drew a walk with two outs and no one on. Meredith Burr (Londonderry, N.H.) then moved Souza to second base with a single. Murray, who led off the inning with the walk, walked again to load the bases. Thompson singled for the second time in the inning, scoring Souza and Burr and cushioning the lead to 13-6.
Norwich got one run back in the bottom of the seventh inning on Whitney Grennon's RBI double, but the Cadets could get no closer.
Simmons' pitching and defense bore down to get the final Norwich outs, securing the 13-7 victory, and advancing to the next round of the GNAC Tournament. The Sharks will face fourth-seeded Pine Manor on Friday, April 24 at 2:00pm at the Mount Ida College field in Newton, Mass.