BRIGHTON, Mass. – Senior catcher Shannon McMahon ripped an opposite field double in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one to give Simmons softball (6-7-1) the walk-off, 5-4 win over Eastern Nazarene College (3-9), Wednesday evening.

In game of the twin-bill, the Lions jumped on the scoreboard early, pushing across a run in the top of the second inning on a two-out RBI double. Two innings later, they added an insurance run to increase their lead to 2-0.   

As the innings mounted so too did the Lions lead. In the top of the sixth, Eastern Nazarene extended its lead with a two-run homerun down the left field line to jump on top, 4-0. With their backs against the wall and facing a four-run deficit, the Sharks were not going down without a fight.

In the home half of the sixth, the Sharks came through with some clutch two-out hitting. McMahon ripped an 0-2 pitch back up the middle into center field. Fellow senior Christie Bott laced a double into the right-centerfield gap to bring sophomore Jordyn Rubin to the plate with runners in scoring position. Ahead in the count, Rubin lined an opposite field single into leftfield to plate both McMahon and Bott and cut the Lions lead to two.

The late inning magic continue for the sharks in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Emma Thacher opened the frame with a double into centerfield. Following two quick outs, senior Alex Morang lined single through the right side to give the Sharks runners at the corners and two outs. Senior Allie Mulhern came through in the clutch roping a triple into right-centerfield to tie the game. Not long after McMahon took an 0-1 offering into right-center to bring Mulhern home with the game-winner.

Game 2: Eastern Nazarene 9, Simmons 5

In game two, the Lions scored quickly, pushing across a pair in the top of the first. But the Sharks answered in the home half of the second, scoring three to take a 3-2 lead.

Rubin opened the inning with base-hit back up the middle, then got herself into scoring position with a steal of second. She scampered to third on an infield single off the bat of Thacher. Junior Kylie Collins pulled a single through the left side to plate Rubin for the Sharks first run. Two batters later, Morang lined a rope into centerfield that skipped past the centerfielder, allowing Thacher and Collins to score and take a one-run advantage.

But the Lions tied up the game in the top of the fourth, before batting around an inning later and putting up a crooked number five to take an 8-3 lead. They extend their lead to six, adding another run in the top of the sixth.

However, the Sharks got that run right back with a solo shot to centerfield by Rubin to cut the deficit back to five. Looking for magic to strike again, Morang opened the bottom of the seventh with a lead-off triple down the left field line, before scoring on single to left-center from McMahon.

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• Senior Shannon McMahon went 5-for-8 with a double, two RBI and a run scored on the evening.
• First-year Jordyn Rubin slugged her second career homerun in game, two as she went 3-for-6 with a homerun and three RBI.
• Senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego tallied 10 strikeouts, including fanning seven in game one for the third time this season.

UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the diamond this weekend when they play non-conference Suffolk University on Saturday, March 26. First pitch is slated for noon.