BRIGHTON, Mass. – Simmons softball (8-17, 4-2 GNAC) swept New England College (7-18, 1-7 GNAC), 3-0 and 4-3, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) North Division play on Sunday afternoon.
Sophomore right-hander Piper Kinney tossed a one-hitter in the Sharks game one, 3-0, win, while striking out 10 Pilgrims. It was the second straight start – third in her last four games – the central Massachusetts native retired 10-plus batters. Kinney earned the win game two's, 4-3 victory, tossing five innings of scoreless relief with five strikeouts.
GAME 1: SIMMONS 3, NEW ENGLAND 0
After Kinney set the side down in order in the top of the first, the Sharks offense went to work in the home half of the frame. Junior centerfielder Raya Anderson led off with a single up the middle then quickly got herself into scoring position, swiping second. Moments later, Anderson scampered another 60 feet to third before scoring on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore Emily Deleault.
Following another one-two-three inning by Kinney in the top of the second, Simmons increased their lead in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Teagan Buckley ripped an opposite field double into right center, but was thrown out trying to move up to third on a single by junior Leah Berdeen. However, Berdeen replaced Buckley at second after advancing on the throw, before scoring two batters later on an error.
Kinney was having her way with the Pilgrim offense, striking out the side in the top of the third as she retired the first 11 batters she faced. The Sharks added an insurance run in the home half of the third an opposite field single by Buckley to plate senior Jordyn Rubin with the Sharks third run. There was no looking back as Kinney cruised to her sixth win of the season.
GAME 2: SIMMONS 4, NEW ENGLAND 3
Making her 10th start of the season, sophomore right-hander Ally Hyde escaped an early bases, first-inning jam unscathed. Sophomore catcher Emery Kreidel-Reimer tagged out Emily Gagne who attempted to score from third on a wild pitch.
Anderson led the Sharks offense in the home half, dropping down a bunt single before moving up 60 feet on a wild pitch. Moments later, Deleault grounded back to the circle for the first out, but on the other side of the infield was Anderson, who was quickly rounding third and charging home for the first run.
In the top of the second, Hyde almost left a Pilgrims leadoff double stranded at third getting two quick outs, including catching Lauren Hendricks gazing at strike three for the second out. But New England followed up with back-to-back base hits that gave them the 2-1 advantage then added to their lead pushing across a third in the top of the third.
However, the Sharks answered putting up a crooked number three in the home half of the third. Anderson ripped a double into centerfield then moved into scoring position with a steal of second before coming around to score the second run on an RBI single from Kinney. Moments later, the Sharks took advantage of a defensive lapse in the outfield by the Pilgrims right fielder, scoring a pair of runs off a base hit by Rubin to re-gain the lead, 4-3, and the Sharks never looked back.
Kinney retired 10 of the next 11 batters she faced – four via the strikeout – before giving up a double to left field in the top of the seventh. But the Pilgrims were unable to bring the run in to tie the game as the Sharks completed the sweep.
SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS
- Sophomore right-hander Piper Kinney tossed a one-hitter in game one's shutout win while striking out 10 Pilgrims, before tossing five innings of solid relief in game two to earn her second victory of the day.
- Junior Raya Anderson went three for-six with a double and three runs scored from the top of the Sharks lineup.
- Sophomore Teagan Buckley went three-for-six with two doubles and an RBI.
GAME NOTES
- In between games of the double-header, Simmons softball presented alumnae Maddie Castigliego '23, Shannon McMahon '23 and Emma Thacher '23 with their 2023 GNAC Championship rings.
UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the diamond on Wednesday, April 17 when they travel to Weston, Massachusetts for a non-divisional GNAC contest against Regis College. First pitch is at 5 p.m.