CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Simmons softball's (27-16) epic and historic season came to a close falling to No. 16 MIT (35-6), 9-2, in the championship game of Cambridge-MIT NCAA Regional on Saturday morning.

Becoming the first GNAC team to reach the NCAA Regional Finals since Saint Joseph's College in 2011, the Sharks had three selected to the NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team. Senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego led the trio pitching masterfully in the circle, while first-year Leah Connor and sophomore Raya Anderson also earned the honors. 

The Sharks drew first blood, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Castigliego led off the frame, helping her own cause launching a lead-off homerun over the left centerfield fence. MIT answered in the home half scoring the equalizer, then took the 2-1 lead pushing across another run in the bottom of the third.

However, Simmons remained resilient. Senior catcher Shannon McMahon opened the top of the fourth with a double into left center. After Castigliego walked, fellow senior Emma Thacher ripped a double into left center to bring home McMahon and tie the game at two.

It stood that way until bottom of the fifth when the Engineer bats got hot and scored three runs to take a 5-2 lead as momentum was beginning to shift. MIT got outstanding defense in their outfield with back-to-back diving plays by their right fielder and centerfielder in the top of the sixth. Then in the bottom of the frame, they increased their lead to seven, scoring another four runs to take the NCAA Regional and extend their season into the Super Regionals.  

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• Senior right-hander Maddie Castigliego was one of three players to earn NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team honors, posting a .400 batting average with a double, triple, homerun and three RBI at the plate, while getting it done in the circle with a 2-2 record and 11 strikeouts.
• Sophomore Raya Anderson also was selected to the All-Tournament Team, hitting .385 from the top of the Shark line-up while also playing outstanding defensively in centerfield with seven putouts.
• First-year Leah Connor rounded out the Sharks on the All-Tournament Team. Connor hit .455 from the lead-off spot and played exceptional defense at the hot corner with six putouts and five assists.
• Fellow first-year A.J. Swett was clutch for the Sharks from the bottom of the order, going 2-for-3 with a double.