BRIGHTON, Mass. – Simmons softball (21-10-1, 12-2 GNAC) put themselves in the driver's seat of second place of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) North Division with a sweep of Saint Joseph's College of Maine (14-16, 9-5 GNAC), Sunday afternoon.

GAME 1: Simmons 4, Saint Joseph's College 2

It was a pitcher's duel throughout the first three innings. The Monks looked poised to break the tie in the top of the fourth following a one-out double, but senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego got out of the jam unscathed.

Leading off the home half, Castigliego singled through the left side before scampering 60 feet on a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, the Rhode Island native came into score on an infield single by junior Sam Barr to bring the lineup back around to the top. Senior Alex Morang worked a six-pitch walk from Monks left-hander Meredith Pence before classmate Allie Mulhern ripped a single to left field to bring home Barr with the second run. After senior Christie Bott walked to load the bases, sophomore Jordyn Rubin ripped a single down the left field line to plate Mulhern and Morang and take a 4-0 lead.

Two-out hitting in the top of the sixth helped the Monks cut the deficit in half, pushing across a pair of runs, but Castigliego was able to retire Taylor Owen on on strikes to end the threat. She set down the side in order an inning later to earn her 19^th win of the season.

GAME 2: Simmons 7, Saint Joseph's College 3

Saint Joseph's looked to draw first blood in game two after first-year Becca Fleming laced a one out triple down the left field line. But the Monks were unable to bring her home with Castigliego striking out Bailey Rassol and getting Olivia Howe to fly out to left.

Simmons put up a crooked number three in the bottom of the frame. Mulhern lined a one-out opposite field single into right center then got herself into scoring position with her 24^th steal of the season. Moments later, Rubin took a 2-0 offering the opposite way to plate Mulhern for the first run of the game. The offense continued with senior Shannon McMahon doubling down the left field line to bring home Rubin, then came into score herself on a single by Castigliego to take a 3-0 lead.

The Monks tied up the ballgame over the next two innings, scoring once in the second and twice in the third. It was a brand-new ballgame, but it was short lived. Bott opened the home half of the third with a walk then came around to score on a double into the left centerfield gap by Rubin. After advancing to third on a fly out by McMahon, Rubin scored the fifth Shark run on a sacrifice fly by Castigliego. 

With a two-run, 5-3, lead, Simmons added another two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth to increase their lead to 7-3. It was more than enough for Castigliego, who retired the last seven batters she faced.

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• Senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego earned her 19^th and 20^th wins of the season in the circle, recording nine strikeouts, while also helping her own cause at the plate going three-for-five with two RBI and a run scored.
• Sophomore Jordyn Rubin went five-for-seven on the day with a double, triple, four RBI and three runs scored.
• Senior Allie Mulhern was three-for-eight with a RBI and a run scored offensively, while playing solid defense with four putouts and five assists.

UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the diamond on Wednesday, April 27 with a non-conference double-header against MIT. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.