PROVIDENCE, R.I. – For the first time since 2019, Simmons softball (24-14) returns to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship Game following a 6-1 victory over No. 2 seed from the South Division Albertus Magnus College on Saturday afternoon.
The Sharks were threatening to score in the top of the first with runners in scoring position and just one out after singles by first-year Leah Connor and junior Jordyn Rubin. But Annabelle Jabs got out of the inning unscathed with two fly outs.
When senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego toed the rubber in the bottom of the first, the look of determination was in her eyes. The Rhode Island native retired the first 11 batters she faced and took a no-hitter into the fourth inning before giving up an infield single to Peyton Davis.
An inning prior in the top of the third, the Shark bats gave Castigliego a four-run lead to work with thanks to some timely two-out inning. With the bases load, first-year Teagan Buckley roped a double off the centerfield wall to plate Castigliego and senior catcher Shannon McMahon. Fellow first-year shortstop Anna Gagliastro lined a base-hit back where it came from to drove home Buckley and senior Emma Thacher to make a 4-0 game.
The Sharks added to their lead in the top of the fourth. With a runner one first, McMahon became just the fourth player in program history to hit reach 100 RBI, launching a towering homerun over the left field fence. When it came down Simmons had a 6-0.
Albertus Magnus managed to evade the shutout scoring in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough. Castigliego earned her 15th win of the season, tossing a complete-game allowing just one run on three hits while striking out two.
SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS
- Senior Shannon McMahon became just the fourth player in program history to reach 100 career RBI with a two-run homerun in the top of the fourth inning; she went 2-for-4 on the day with a pair of RBI.
- First-years Teagan Buckley and Anna Gagliastro went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
- Senior Maddie Castigliego improved to 15-8 after allowing just one run on three hits and striking out two.
UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the diamond in the GNAC Championship Game for the first time since 2019, seeking the program's first conference title. It would be Simmons' first GNAC Championship since swimming and diving won in 2020.
