STANDISH, Maine – Simmons softball (18-23) retained its ability to call themselves GNAC Champions upsetting No. 1 seed Saint Joseph's College of Maine (22-17) with a pair of victories on Saturday afternoon.
Trailing 1-0 in the 2024 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Championship Series, the Sharks need two wins today to re-capture its 2023 crown. And they did just that, defeating the Monks 12-4 in game one then edge out SJC, 4-3, in game two.
Claiming their second GNAC title in program history, the Sharks will return to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and will learn their destination with a live selection show on NCAA.com
GAME TWO – Simmons 12, Saint Joseph's 4 (5 inn.):
The Sharks kicked off the scoring in the opener with two runs on two hits and an SJC error in the top of the first, when junior Leah Berdeen and sophomore Emma Soule registered RBI singles. The Monks immediately answered in the bottom of the first and cut the lead in half.
Simmons assumed control in the second inning with three runs on four hits. Sophomore Teagan Buckley ripped an RBI single and scored two batters later on a Berdeen two-run single. The Sharks put the game completely out of reach with six runs on four hits and an SJC miscue in the top of the fourth. Junior April Beatty notched a sac fly and sophomore shortstop Emily Deleault belted a two-run double to help their team secure a 11-1 cushion going into the bottom of the fourth.
The Monks managed to score a run in the fourth and sent home two runners in the fifth, but the Sharks closed out a bases-loaded threat in the latter with a line-out to center to end the game after five frames.
Sophomore starter Piper Kinney earned the victory and improved to 14-9 on the season after allowing two runs on eight hits and two walks with three K's over four innings.
GAME THREE - Simmons 4, Saint Joseph's 3:
Despite leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, the Sharks drew first blood in the home half of the second. Beatty pulled a single through the left side of the infield to plate sophomore Ally Hyde for the first run of the game. But the Monks responded a half inning later and tied the ballgame.
After a scoreless fourth frame, SJC took its first lead of the game, pushing across a run in the top of the fifth. However, the one-run edge did not hold as the Sharks put up a crooked number three in the home half to take a 4-2 lead.
Buckley recorded an RBI single to bring junior centerfielder Raya Anderson around from second to tie the game. Moments later, sophomore right-hander Ally Hyde lined a two-run, double down the left field line to plate for Berdeen and senior Jordyn Rubin.
The Monks made the game interesting in the top of the seventh with a solo homerun to right field to make it one-run game. But Kinney, who came on in relief in the top of the fifth, retired the next three batters – including getting Sadie Tirrell to flyout to right fielder, and Maine native, Jordyn Rubin for final out of the game.
SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS
- Sophomore right-hander Piper Kinney was named the GNAC Tournament Most Valuable Player after posting a 5-1 record with a 1.89 ERA and 46 strikeouts over six games.
- Junior right-fielder Raya Anderson became the 20th player in program history to reach 100 career hits, registering her 100th base-hit in the fourth inning of game two's 12-4 win.
- Anderson also was named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team after posting a .316 batting average with five runs scored and three stolen bases from the top of the lineup.
- Sophomore shortstop Emily Deleault also was named to the All-Tournament Team, leading the Sharks offense with a .556 batting average (10-18) with a double and 11 RBI.
- Sophomore Ally Hyde rounded out the Sharks on the All-Tournament Team, hitting .500 (3-6) with a double and two RBI at the plate.
UP NEXT
Simmons will find out who they will play next in the NCAA Tournament with the 2024 Division III Selection Show on Monday, May 13 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. It will be streamed live on the NCAA.com.
