Nashua, N.H. - Simmons Softball was overpowered by St. Joseph's College (ME), 11-3, in the elimination round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament on Saturday afternoon. The Monks of St. Joseph's drew first blood in the top of the first inning when Emily Leverone sent a Courteney Collier (Bolton, Mass.) pitch over the center field wall to give the Monks an early 1-0 lead. Simmons answered in the bottom of the frame as Emily Nalband (Litchfield, Conn.) picked up a base hit and was followed by doubles from Annie Thompson (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) and Leah Derderian (Boylston, Mass.) that plated two runs, giving Simmons the 2-1 lead after one inning. Simmons put another run on the board in the second as Nalband roped a double into the right center gap that scored Ari King (Westford, Mass.) after the freshman ripped a two-out single.

The Monks offense showed their power in the fifth inning when Leverone, Liddy van der Linden, and Alyssa Dunn hit back-to-back-to-back home runs, all with two outs, to take a 6-3 lead. St. Joseph's would tack on four more runs in the inning to extend their lead to 10-3, which would be all they needed as Monks' reliever Madylan Kluna, who came in the 4th inning with 2 outs, shut down the Sharks offense, giving up one hit and striking out 4 batters. The Monks added one more run in the top of the seventh to finish the 11-3 win over Simmons.

April 25, 2010

Nashua, N.H. – In a tightly contested GNAC Softball Championship game between Rivier College and Emerson College, it was the Raiders' scoring on a Mandy Thornton walk-off base hit up the middle in the eighth inning that gave Rivier the 1-0 victory to claim the 2010 GNAC softball crown. Raiders senior pitcher Monica White picked up her 26th victory of the season, pitching all eight innings, scattering five hits and striking out eight Lions Batters. The Raiders, now 32-2 overall, will move on to play in the NCAA Championship Tournament starting on May 13th at Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA.

2010 GNAC All-Tournament Team

Name Year Hometown Pos. School
Monica White Sr Augusta, ME Pitcher     Rivier College - MVP
Amanda Thornton     Fr     Hanover, MA         RF Rivier College
Amanda Ryan Jr     W. Bridgewater, MA   Catcher     Rivier College
Taylor Cournoyer     Fr     Mansfield, MA     Shortstop Rivier College
Kelsey Tuthill         Jr     Middlefield, CT        First/Pitcher     Emerson College
Christina Naramore   Jr Amissville, VA     Catcher/DH     Emerson College
Brittany Martin     Jr     Las Vegas, NV         Second Base     Emerson College
Leah Derederian     Sr     Boylston, MA         First Base     Simmons College
Courteney Collier     Jr     Bolton, MA         Pitcher     Simmons College    
Liddy van der Linden Sr     Worcester, MA     Shortstop     St. Joseph's College (ME)
Alyssa Dunn         Jr     Standish, ME         First Base     St. Joseph's College (ME)