CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team saw their outstanding 2023 campaign come to a close in the NCAA Championships on Friday afternoon in a 8-5 loss to the Simmons Sharks. The loss moves the Engineers to 32-11 on the season, while the Sharks improve to 26-15. In addition,
Erin Askins and
Gabby Comeau each received All-Tournament Team honors.
RPI wasted no time getting on the board, crossing two runs in the top of the first inning. After a leadoff walk by Askins, she was moved up by a sacrifice bunt from
Evann McDowell. With Askins on second, Comeau roped a ball over the left fielder's head to the wall for an RBI double. Comeau and
Alex Ledger then traded places one batter later, giving the Engineers a 2-0 lead.
Simmons responded with six runs in the bottom of the first inning, as pair of RBI singles and a sacrifice fly were the catalyst for the Sharks. Jordan Rubin and Maddie Casti provided the singles, while Teagan Buckl sent the sacrifice fly to left field before a wild pitch and a double steal scored the final two runs.
Both sides were held scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning, as Simmons added to their lead with a pair of runs. An RBI single from Buckl found it's way into right field to make it 7-2 before a bases loaded walk pushed the Sharks lead to 8-2.
The Engineers put together three runs combined between the sixth and seventh innings, scoring one in the sixth when a batted ball from Ledger in the hole was thrown away by the shortstop to third base, allowing Askins to score to make it 8-3.
It was Askins again in the seventh, smashing a double to the fence in center field to score a pair and cut the Simmons lead to 8-5. The Engineers brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh inning, but fell just short on the rally.
Askins finished the two days with a perfect 1.000 batting average, going 3-for-3 with a double, two walks and two RBI on Friday. She reached base in all nine at-bats over the regional. Comeau and Ledger each had three hits on the game as well, as the trio combined for nine of the team's 14 hits. All three finished the day with a double on their stat line. The Engineers left 11 runners on base throughout the game.
Casti was the lone Shark with two hits, as eight of the nine players in the Simmons lineup finished with a hit. Casti also pitched all seven innings for the Sharks, giving up three walks and striking out three.
