PROVIDENCE, R.I. – After dropping the first game of the day, Simmons softball (13-22, 9-7 GNAC) came back to split the twin bill against Johnson & Wales (18-18, 12-4 GNAC) with a 7-4 victory in game two on Saturday afternoon.

Before stepping foot in the circle, game two starter sophomore Ally Hyde a four-run lead due. The Sharks took advantage of powerful winds blowing out to left center in the top of the first inning. With Anderson on first following a lead-off walk, sophomore Piper Kinney laced her first collegiate career homerun over the left centerfield to give Simons the two-run lead.

A batter later, fellow sophomore Teagan Buckley took advantage of the elements letting a fly ball sail over the centerfield fence. When it came down the Sharks had a 3-0 lead and were not done. With the wind still gusting, sophomore Trinity Payne took advantage of the jet stream with a solo shot over the left field wall.

The Wildcats were able to push a across a run in the home half of the first, the Shark bats went back to work in the top of the second. Back-to-back base hits by sophomore Emily Deleault and junior April Beatty to begin the second gave Simmons runners at the corners and zero outs to turn the lineup back over to the top. Anderson kept the momentum going in favor of the Sharks, driving in Deleault with a ground ball to third.

Simmons continued to keep the pressure on JWU with Anderson successfully swiping second to put runners in scoring position and no outs. Kinney lifted a high fly to left field for the first out of the frame, but long enough to plate Beatty to extend the lead to 6-0 and move Anderson up to a bag. Not long after Anderson came in to score the final run of the inning when JWU starter Sage Borkowski uncorked a wild pitch to the backstop.

Although the Wildcats made it interesting, scoring a run in each of the middle innings, the Sharks pitching combination of Hyde and Kinney were able to quell the threat. Hyde

Secured her third win of the season tossing four innings while striking out two, while Kinney picked up the save as she struck out four Wildcats in three innings.

GAME 1: JWU 6, SIMMONS 0

The first game of the day was a tight one-run ball-game until the bottom of the fifth when the Wildcats put up three runs in the fifth and another two runs in the sixth to break the game open. 

Despite the loss, sophomore right-hander Piper Kinney still fanned seven Wildcats over five innings of work.

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• Sophomore Piper Kinney launched her first collegiate career homerun – a two-run homerun to left center – in the top of the first inning of game two.
• Kinney went two-for-five with a homerun and three RBI at plate, while picking up her first save of the season, tossing three innings of relief and striking out four in game two.
• Fellow sophomores Teagan Buckley and Trinity Payne also registered their first collegiate career homeruns in the top of a four-run first inning.
• Sophomore right-hander Ally Hyde picked up her third win of the season following four innings of work and two strikeouts in game two.

GAME NOTES

• The Sharks snapped a 13-game losing streak, dating back to April 18, 2015, against Johnson & Wales University with game two's 7-4 win. They are currently, 16-16 all-time against the Wildcats.  

UP NEXT
Simmons waits to see who they will face in the upcoming 2024 GNAC Championship Tournament beginning next Tuesday, April 30.