BRIGHTON, Mass. – Senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego recorded five-to-one strikeout-to-walk ration as Simmons softball (7-8-1) split a non-conference doubleheader with Suffolk (8-4) at Daly Field, Saturday afternoon.

GAME 1: Simmons 5, Suffolk 0
The Sharks offense gave Castigliego a quick 2-0 lead to work with in game one, pushing across a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Senior Alex Morang began the game reaching on an error then advance 60 feet on a bunt single by classmate, Allie Mulhern. Moments later, senior Shannon McMahon pulled a double down the left field line to bring home both her classmates. 

Simmons added to its lead two innings later. After Mulhern led off the frame with a triple to right field, sophomore Jordyn Rubin laced a two-out single back into center field to increase the lead to 3-0. The following inning, Mulhern came through once again with lining a bases loaded one-out single through the left side to plate junior Kylie Collins. The Sharks added its fifth run in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly from Rubin, to score senior Christie Bott. 

It was more than enough for Castigliego, who retired the first three batters she faced before giving up a two-out single in the bottom of the third. The Bristol, Rhode Island native went on to toss her first shutout of the season, while striking out six Rams and allowing just three hits.

GAME 2: Suffolk 3, Simmons 2
Suffolk jumped on the board first in game two, taking advantage of a Shark miscue in field to lead 1-0. Rams starter Jenny Jacob kept Shark batters off balance through the first four innings, before the bottom of Simmons order went to work. 

Castigliego helped her own cause, opening the top of the fifth with a lead-off single into center field. She came around to score on a double, off the bat of senior backstop Emma Thacher to knot up the game at one. After advancing to third on the throw home, Thacher scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch to give the Sharks a 2-1 lead.

Jacob was able to minimize the damage, and retired three of the next four batters to keep it a one-run game. The Rams answered and came back to tie the game back at two on a two-out single in the home half of the frame.

The game stood that way until the bottom of the seventh, when Suffolk came through with a bases load, two-out single to center by Ava Brandow to walk off with the 3-2 lead.

SIMMON HIGHLIGHTS

• Senior Allie Mulhern went 4-for-7 with two triples, an RBI and two runs scored on the day.
• Senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego registered a five-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio on the day, fanning 10 Rams, while walking two.
• Senior catcher Emma Thacher was 1-for-3 with an RBI double in game two. 

UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the diamond tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Framingham State University. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.