Simmons Softball grabbed two Great Northeast Athletic Conference wins over Suffolk University on Sunday at the Boston Common Field, besting the Rams 3-0 and 5-4. Junior Courteney Collier (Bolton, Mass.) threw a no-hitter and pitched a perfect game through 5 1/3 innings before surrendering her only walk, which would also be the only base runner for Suffolk. With the win, Simmons advances to 18-4 (13-2 GNAC) while the Rams fall to 7-27 overall (5-15 GNAC).
Game One
Game One began with three scoreless innings before the Sharks put one on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Leah Derderian (Boylston, Mass.) began the inning with a single to right center. Senior Katelyn Bourgeois (North Smithfield, R.I.) pinch ran for Derderian and was moved to second on Emily Colligan's (Leominster, Mass.) perfectly placed sacrifice bunt. With two outs, sophomore Amanda Gould (Fremont, N.H.) singled in Bourgeois and put the Sharks up 1-0.
The Sharks added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Annie Thompson (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) lead off with a single and stole second base. Colligan walked, and with two outs sophomore Ashley Wheeler delivered a single to right field allowing Thompson to score easily. The Suffolk right fielder couldn't handle Wheeler's hit, allowing Colligan to score as well.
In addition to her no-hitter, Collier struck out four and received some stellar defensive stops behind her in the win.
Game Two
In Game Two, Simmons jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. With two outs Thompson, Derderian and Wheeler each connected for singles, with Wheeler's single scoring Thompson.
Suffolk answered right back in the same inning. With one out Cali Loura singled and advanced to second on Erin O'Donnell's bunt. Loura eventually scored when an infield throw sailed over first base and out of bounds.
Sophomore Sami Hodgkins (Putney, Vt.) started for the Sharks and pitched through 2 1/3 innings. Suffolk threatened once again in the top of the third with one out and bases loaded when Collier entered in relief to stop their momentum. Collier induced a 4-2 fielder's choice and a lineout to the pitcher to stop the Rams threat.
The Sharks took a 21 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Junior Steph Murray (Groveland, Mass.) led off with a single to right field and was moved to second on junior Emily Nalband's (Litchfield, Conn.) sacrifice bunt. Collier then reached on an error to put runners at the corner. Thompson delivered a double, scoring Murray and advancing Collier to third base. With two outs, Wheeler drew a walk to load the bases, but the Rams ended the inning with three Sharks stranded on the bases and just one run surrendered in the frame.
The Rams achieved their first hit in the top of the seventh when Lisa Nguyen hustled down the line and beat out a swinging bunt. Monica Cioffi then singled on a push bunt up the first base line. The next batter also laid down a bunt that Collier couldn't handle, loading the bases with no one out. Suffolk's Clara Conklin delivered a bloop hit over the shortstop's head, scoring two runs and taking a 3-2 lead. Karina Bolster added another run by singling in Valerie Liberatore to take the4-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
The Sharks' bats came through in the clutch. Nalband and Collier started the inning with back-to-back singles down the left field line. Thompson then delivered her second and third RBI of the game and fifth hit of the day, scoring both Nalband and Collier to tie the game. Derderian was intentionally walked to put runners at first and third with no one out. Wheeler struck out for the first out and Colligan's foul popup was caught by the third baseman out of bounds, allowing both Thompson and Bourgeois (pinch running for Derderian) to move up a base, setting the stage for Gould. Gould drove a 0-1 count to right field, easily scoring Thompson and securing the 5-4 victory for the Sharks.
Simmons will face off with GNAC foe St. Joseph's Maine for a doubleheader on Monday, April 12 at 3:00pm on the Boston Common Field.