KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Simmons softball (2-1) won the pitching-dual against regional Gordon College (1-3) in their second game to split the day early Monday evening.

While sophomore right-hander Piper Kinney kept the Fighting Scots off the scoreboard, her Gordon counterpart, Morgan Passolo, matched her for the first three innings. But momentum shifted directions in the fourth inning.

In the top of the fourth, the Fighting Scots were threatening to score with a runner aboard and only one out. Emily Graham dropped a bunt down in front of the plate. Simmons sophomore Emery Kreidel-Reimer scooped the ball and fired it down to sophomore Emma Soule for the second out. Soule saw Gordon's Ami Rivera heading to third and fired a bullet to junior Leah Berdeen who threw down a tag on Rivera to end the inning.

It swung momentum over to the Sharks dugout. Sophomore Emily Deleault opened the inning with base hit back where it came from. After senior Jordyn Rubin reached on a hit-by-pitch, sophomore Ally Hyde loaded the bases with a single to left field.

Two batters later with one out, Kreidel-Reimer grounded out to shortstop for the second out of the inning, but in the back door came Rubin to put Simmons up 1-0. The Sharks added another insurance run an inning later, but it was more than enough for Kinney. The GNAC Pitcher of the Week tossed a complete game, seven innings allowing just four hits, while striking out five Fighting Scots.

GAME 1: Defiance 2, Simmons 1

Simmons dropped its first game of the day, falling to Defiance, 2-1, in the bottom of the seventh. The game was scoreless until Defiance took a 1-0 lead in the home half of the fourth, but the Sharks answered.

With runners on first and second and only one out, Rubin reached on a fielder's choice, but rounding third and scoring on an error was Anderson to tie the game at one. It remained that way until Defiance took advantage of three walks in the seventh to walk-off with the win.

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• Sophomore Piper Kinney earned her second win of the season in game tossing seven innings, while scattering four hits and striking out five opposing batters.
• Sophomore Ally Hyde made her first start of the season in game one, fanning seven opposing batters over the course of six innings.
• Junior Raya Anderson went two-for-four with two walks and a run scored on the day.

UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the diamond tomorrow on Wednesday, March 6 when they face Concordia Chicago (9:15 a.m.) and Ursinus (11:30 a.m.).