Simmons Softball secured both games over Mount Ida in Thursday's Great Northeast Athletic Conference twin bill, winning 11-6 and 6-3 against their Newton, Mass. hosts. The Mustangs fall to 6-5 overall, 1-3 in league play while the Sharks improve to 7-4 (2-2 GNAC).

"I'm extremely proud of how the team played this afternoon. It's always nice to get the first conference win and we did so as a team," said Head Coach Anne Hennigan. "We had a shaky first inning in the first game, but after that we never gave up and we were able to find our groove. Collier pitched extremely well in both games and our offense was explosive when we needed it to be."

Game One

The Mustangs opened game one hot, scoring five run in the top of the first inning. Freshman Devan Meeker was hit by a pitch to open the inning, followed by a bunt single by freshman Tiffany Hamann and a single to left by freshman Cortney Rebello to load the bases. Sophomore slugger Erica Belliveau stepped up next and belted a grand slam over the right field fence to give Mount Ida a 4-0 lead. After two consecutive strikeouts, junior Erin Dufficy poked a single through the hole. She would eventually score on an error by the right fielder giving the Mustangs a commanding 5-0 lead to start the game.

The Sharks would chip away getting three runs back in the bottom of the second inning. A leadoff single, an error, and another single loaded the bases for Simmons to start off the inning. Freshman Cailin Pagel (Dorchester, Mass.) came through next with a single through the right side plating the hosts first run of the game making it 5-1. After a strikeout, junior Emily Nalband (Litchfield, Conn.) crushed a double to centerfield scoring two more runs to cut the Mustang lead to 5-3 to end the inning.

Simmons blew the game open in the bottom of the third inning, scoring seven runs on only four hits with three errors by Mount Ida to aid the Sharks in their offensive strike. With runners on second and third to quickly start the inning, sophomore Amanda Gould (Fremont, N.H.) smacked a single to plate the first run of the inning making it 5-4. Another costly error by Mount Ida with two outs scored the tying run (5-5) followed by a single up the middle by Nalband giving Simmons their first lead of the day up 6-5. With the bases loaded for the third time in the inning on a walk and a pass ball, junior Annie Thompson (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) popped a single into left field scoring another to extend the Sharks lead (7-5). During the same play, two costly errors by the Mustangs spun the merry-go-round on the base paths scoring everyone including Thompson emptying the bases giving Simmons a commanding 10-5 advantage to end the inning.

It was all but over from there with each team only plating one more run each, both in the fourth inning, giving the Sharks the 11-6 game one victory. An early injury to Simmons starting pitcher senior Sammi Letizio (Windham, N.H.) forced Coach Hennigan to insert Shark ace Courtney Collier (Bolton, Mass.), who took the win while Meeker was handed the loss for the Mustangs going six innings. Letizio surrendered five runs in the top of the first and was pulled after the second inning with Collier giving up only one run on three hits with five strikeouts. Meeker surrendered all 11 runs, only five that were earned, on 10 hits adding two K's.

Belliveau produced the bulk of offense for the Mustangs with her homerun driving in four runs. Nalband did most of the damage for her squad with three RBI's on two hits, while Thompson, Wheeler and Pagel also added two hits, with Thompson driving in two.

Game Two

After a stagnant inning and a half with no legitimate scoring opportunities from either side to start game two, the Shark struck first.  A leadoff single opened the bottom the second by senior Leah Derderian (Boylston, Mass.). Pagel would pinch run for Derderian advancing to third after a fielder's choice and a tag up fly out. After a walk, Pagel plated the first run for the hosts on a pass ball making it 1-0.

Two and half scoreless innings followed until the Sharks added three more runs to their total in the bottom of the fifth.  Back-to-back singles by Nalband and Collier started the inning and a two RBI triple by Thompson ensued to extend the Shark lead to 3-0. A Derderian single to right field drove in Thompson from third base giving Simmons a commanding 4-0 advantage to end the inning.

Mount Ida finally got on the board in the top of the sixth inning.  Meeker smoked a hard double to left field and would advance to third on a fielder's choice. Rebello stepped up and hit a shallow fly ball behind second base that was caught. It was deep enough for Meeker to tag up and score the Mustangs first run of the game to end the inning.

Simmons would add two to their total in the bottom of the sixth inning during a two out rally.  Following a single to right by Nalband, Collier roped a double to left field driving in Nalband to make it 5-1 Sharks.  A single up the middle by Thompson immediately following plated Collier giving Simmons some insurance leading 6-1 with Mount Ida's final chance coming up next.

The Mustangs only managed to score two runs in the top of the seventh, starting with a leadoff double by freshman Danielle Mitchell who would advance to third.  After a lineout, Dufficy reached on an error putting two on with one down.  Sophomore Tracy Koukol stepped in to pinch-hit crushing a ground rule double into left field that got lodged in the fence scoring both runs to cut the lead to 6-3.  That's as close as the Mustangs could get ending the inning with Koukol caught stealing and a strike out swinging.  The Sharks would capture the back end of the conference twin bill by a score of 6-3.

Freshman hurler Denise Picard took the loss for the Mustangs going the distance surrendering 11 hits and all six earned runs with three strikeouts and two walks.  Collier snatched her second win of the day giving up six hits, two earned runs, and five strikeouts.

Meeker was the only Mount Ida player with more than one hit (2) and added a spectacular diving catch in centerfield earlier in the game. Collier and Thompson collected three hits apiece, with Thompson driving in three runs.

The Sharks will host Norwich University on Sunday, March 28 at UMass Boston at 1:00pm for another GNAC doubleheader.