WESTON, Mass. – Simmons softball (9-18, 5-3 GNAC) split a midweek Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader with Regis College (7-17, 3-7 GNAC) on Wednesday evening. The Sharks earned their third shutout in the last four days following a 4-0 win over the Pride before dropping game two, 4-3.

GAME 1: Simmons 4, Regis 0

Regis threatened to jump on the scoreboard first following a walk and single to open the home half of the first inning. But Sharks sophomore right-hander Piper Kinney had other ideas, striking out the next three batters to get out of the inning unscathed. The central Massachusetts native continued her dominance in the circle, retiring 16 straight batters – 11 by way of the strike out – before giving up an infield single in the sixth inning. 

While Kinney was keeping the Pride bats at bay, the Shark offense was on the verge of pushing across the game's first run. In four of the first six innings the Sharks leadoff batter reached base, but they were unable to come up with the big hit until the top of the seventh when they broke free with four.

Sophomore Emily Deleault opened the inning with a leadoff triple into left field before being brought home by a double off the bat of classmate Emma Soule. After senior Jordyn Rubin reach on base hit into centerfield, sophomore Teagan Buckley roped a triple to left fieldto plate Rubin and pinch-runner Emery Kreidel-Reimer to increase the lead to. Buckley came in to score the fourth and final run on fly ball to right field.

It was more than enough for Kinney, who earned her eighth win of the season improving to 8-6, as she tossed a two hitter, while striking out 14 Pride batters.

GAME 2: Regis 4, Simmons 3

The second game of the doubleheader was another nail-biter with both teams holding each other scoreless through the first three-and-a-half innings. Regis finally jumped on the scoreboard, scoring in the bottom of the fourth, but the Sharks answered half an inning later. 

Soule lined a two-out double to left then scampered up 60 feet on a walk to Rubin and the Sharks were threatening with runners at the corners. Rubin broke free from first base and successfully stole second, while Soule came into tie the game on an error by the catcher. Simmons took advantage of another Pride mistake in the field as Buckley reached on an error in the infield that kept the inning alive and Rubin to score to put the sharks in front 2-1.

The lead was short-lived. The Pride responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth on a three-run homerun to take a 4-2. But the Sharks were resilient and not going to give up and managed to get a run back in the top of the sixth.

Kreidel-Reimer began the inning with a double down the left field then scampered to third on a wild pitch. The Washington native score the Sharks third run on sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to, 4-3.

Simmons was not going away quietly. Despite facing two outs in the top of the seventh, Berdeen lined a single into left center then gave way to pinch-runner April Beatty. Payne helped her own cause lining a double down the third baseline, but the Pride completed the perfect relay from left field to home to catch Beatty trying to score from first for the finally out the game.

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• Sophomore right-hander Piper Kinney struck out 10-plus batters in four of her last five starts as she fanned 14 opposing hitters
• Sophomore Teagan Buckley was a homerun run shy of cycle in game-one going three-for-four with a double, triple and two RBI.
• Sophomore Emma Soule was also clutch at the plate from the middle of the Sharks lineup, driving in the game-winning run in the top of the seventh in game. Soule went two-for-six with two doubles, an RBI and a run score.d

UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the diamond on Saturday, April 20 when they travel to Norwich University. First pitch at 1 p.m.