Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass.-  Senior Ann Talarico (Ware, Mass.) laced a three-run homer to center field in the fourth inning to lead Simmons to a 4-1 victory over Nichols in opening round action of the ECAC Division III New England Tournament. The Sharks, seeded third in the tourney, will move on to second round action this Saturday. The Bison close out the year 26-17 overall, the second most wins in the program's history. Simmons is now 32-10 overall.

Nichols went on top 1-0 with an RBI single by sophomore Lauren Lombardo (Wolcott, Conn.) in the second inning. Fellow sophomore Valeri Calcagni (Rocky Hill, Conn.) began the rally with a lead-off double to left field.

Senior Lauren Person (Vernon, Conn.) cruised through three hitless innings before running into trouble in the fourth. Freshman Annie Thompson (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) singled through the left side and later advanced to second when senior Natalie West (East Bridgewater, Mass.) walked. Talarico then put the Sharks up 3-1 with her two-out shot to center field.

Simmons added another run in the fifth off three hits while sophomore pitcher Samantha Letizio (Windham, N.H.) allowed no base runners in the final five innings. She improves to 21-4 on the year as she gave-up just two hits and struck out eight.

Freshman Danielle Szabo (White Plains, N.Y.) drove in the Sharks other run as she went 1-3 with a double. Freshman Emily Nalband (Litchfield, Conn.) also went 1-3 with a double.

Lombardo and Calcagni proved Nichols only two hits of the game. Person ends her Nichols' career with a 46-37 record. She holds a total of five career pitching records including games won, strikeouts and innings pitched.