CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Simmons softball (27-15) prolonged its season with an epic, late-inning comeback against Endicott College (36-9) on Friday afternoon.

The Sharks had to win two games on Friday to remain alive in their first NCAA Regional appearance. Before their six-run comeback against the Gulls, the Simmons knocked out RPI (32-11) in their first game of the day.

It is the first time in 12 years a GNAC institution has advanced all the way to the Regional Championship Finals. The last time was 2011 when Saint Joseph's College of Maine met Rhode Island College in the Providence Regional. The Monks fell to Anchorwomen, 7-3.

SIMMONS 7, ENDICOTT 5

Facing a four-run, 5-1, deficit did not phase the Sharks one bit in their second game of the day against the Gulls.  In the home half of the fifth Simmons sent nine batters to plate and pushed across four runs to tie the game up at five.  

First-year A.J. Swett led of the frame reaching on a bunt single then advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. Fellow first-year Leah Connor lined a single into left to bring home Swett with the second Sharks run. Two batters later with runners on second and third, junior Jordyn Rubin lined an RBI single back up the middle to bring home Connor and send sophomore Raya Anderson to second.

After senior Shannon McMahon brought home Anderson to make it a one-run game with one out. Moments later senior Maddie Castigliego poked an opposite field triple into right field to bring home pinch-runner, first-year Abby Viggiano and tie the game at five.

Momentum had shifted towards the Shark dugout. An inning later, first-year Anna Gagliastro and Swett opened the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back walks and knock Gull reliever Analise Grady out of the game. Two batters later after a sacrifice bunt by Connor moved Gagliastro and Swett into scoring position, sophomore Raya Anderson came through lining a clutch one-out, two-run double into centerfield and the Sharks had a 7-5 lead.

Castigliego retired the Endicott lineup in order in the top of the seventh to propel the Sharks into the NCAA Regional Finals.

SIMMONS 8, RPI 5

In the first game, the Sharks answered a two-run top of the first by batting around in the home half to put up a crooked number six and take a 6-2 lead. It was all the Sharks would need as Castigliego held the Engineers scoreless for the next four innings, including working her way out of a second inning jam thanks to solid defense. 

The Sharks added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-2 lead. It was beneficial to have a six-run cushion as RPI mounted a comeback. The Engineers closed the gap to three, 8-5, scoring in the top of the sixth and seventh, but that was as close as they got.

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• Sophomore Raya Anderson went 3-for-6 with a double and three RBI on the day.
• Four Sharks recorded three hits on the day: Leah Connor, Raya Anderson, and Maddie Castigliego.
• First-year Leah Connor also went 3-for-6 from the top spot of the line-up
• Senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego earned the win in both games, tossing 10. 1 innings, allowing just three earned runs on 16 hits, while striking out five.

UP NEXT
Simmons will face No. 19 MIT in a re-match of their NCAA Regional opener on Thursday, tomorrow morning in the NCAA Regional Finals. First pitch at 9 a.m.