BRIGHTON, Mass. – Simmons softball (10-10, 2-0 GNAC) swept a pair of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) non-divisional games from Lasell University (11-6, 2-2 GNAC) to begin conference play on Sunday afternoon.

GAME 1: SIMMONS 4, LASELL 3

The Lasers jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, taking advantage of a Sharks miscue and back-to-back doubles in the top of the first inning. Simmons got one run back in the home half of the inning, due to some small ball. 

Senior Maddie Castigliego did her best to keep it a one-run ballgame to give her offense a chance to tie the game. In the top of the fourth inning, Castigliego escaped a bases loaded, no out jam unscathed. With all the bases occupied and nowhere to put Angelena Piers, Castigliego got Piers to hit a chopper back to the circle.

Quick-thinking, the Rhode Island native flipped to her longtime teammate, Shannon McMahon, behind the plate to record the first out. She made quick work of Emily Stilwell, setting her down on strikes before getting Emily Mestas to ground out back to the circle for the final out.

After Castigliego's Houdini act to get out of the top of the fourth, the Sharks answered offensively and tied up the game in the home half. Following back-to-back walks by first-year Abby Viggiano and sophomore Raya Anderson, fellow first-year Leah Connor lined a base-hit back where it came from to plate Viggiano with the game-tying run.

Castigliego managed to get out of another no-out jam unscathed in the top of the fifth to keep it a 2-2 ballgame. The Sharks offense thanked their senior right-hander and came through an inning later. Anderson opened the bottom of the sixth with a single up the middle then came around to score on a triple down the right field line by Connor to take a 3-2 lead. Moments later Connor gave the Sharks an insurance run, scoring on a grounder to second base. 

Simmons needed that insurance run as Lasell pushed across a run in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough. Castigliego earned her sixth win of the season, striking out five Lasers in a complete game victory.

GAME 2: SIMMONS 6, LASELL 5

Making her sixth start of the season, first-year right-hander Piper Kinney was extremely efficient in the opening frame of game two, retiring the side in order by way of strikes. Kinney's quick work, ignited the Shark offense that put up a crooked number three in the home half to give their first-year pitcher an early lead. 

The Lasers pushed a run across in the top of the second, but the Sharks managed to gain that run back in the bottom of the third.  After back-to-back base hits by Anderson and Connor to begin the home half, the Sharks were threatening to score with runners at the corners and no outs.

Lasell appeared to have minimized the damage, throwing out Anderson trying to score from third, for the first out of the frame. But it they were unable to get out of inning without a run scored. Senior Shannon McMahon ripped an opposite field single into right to plate Connor and put the Sharks back in front by three, 4-1. 

However, the Lasers made it a one-run game with one swing of the bat in the top of the fourth, but it only lasted an inning. In the bottom of the fifth Anderson began the inning with a walk then went from first to third on an opposite field single to right center off the bat of Connor. Junior Jordyn Rubin lifted a fly ball to left field that plated Anderson with the fifth run, then two batters later Castigliego lined a single towards the shortstop position to bring home Connor with the game-winning run. 

While Lasell scored two runs in the top of the sixth, it was as close as they got. Kinney eclipsed her previous single-game best, striking out 10 opposing batters to earn her third win of the year.

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• First-year Piper Kinney registered a career single-game best, fanning 10 Lasers to earn her third victory of the season.
• First-year Leah Connor went 5-for-7 with a triple, two RBI and four runs scored from the top of the Sharks line-up.
• Junior Jordyn Rubin went 2-for-6 with four RBI and a run scored from the heart of the batting.
• Senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego picked up her sixth win of the season, tossing a complete game win in game one while striking out five. 

UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the diamond on Wednesday, April 5 when they host a doubleheader against Dean College. First pitch slated for 5 p.m.