STANDISH, Maine – #1N Saint Joseph's College (20-16, 12-4 GNAC) and #3N Simmons University (16-22, 9-7 GNAC) will face off in the 2024 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Championship series at Richard W. Bailey Field on Friday and Saturday.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Saint Joseph's:

• #39 Chantelle Bouchard (Biddeford, Maine) In 36 games this spring, Bouchard is hitting .412 (49-119) with 30 runs, 14 doubles, 11 home runs, 45 RBI and three stolen bases. The sophomore catcher currently leads the conference in doubles, home runs, RBI, total bases (96), and slugging percentage (.807) and is one of the best backstops in New England.
• #12 Charlotte Cloutier (Lewiston, Maine) In 33 games this season, Cloutier is hitting .435 (37-85) with 16 runs, five doubles, 15 RBI, and a .500 OBP. The sophomore shortstop is third in the GNAC in batting average and OBP and is a steadying presence in the infield.
• #46 Lydia Goodnough (Kennebunkport, Maine) The senior has logged time in center field, first base, and in the circle this spring and has been a major contributor in every phase of the game for the Monks. In 33 games, she is hitting .316 (31-98) with 25 runs, seven doubles, two triples, 17 RBI, and four stolen bases. In 21 appearances in the circle, the southpaw sports a 10-5 record with a 2.64 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 106 innings and ranks fourth in the conference in batting average against (.217).
• #20 Sylvia Foley (Scarborough, Maine) In 35 games as the Monks' third baseman, Foley is hitting .317 (38-120) with 19 runs, seven doubles, 21 RBI, and three stolen bases. One of the best defensive infielders in the conference, the junior ranks eighth in the conference in assists (73).

Simmons:

• #14 Piper Kinney (Marlborough, Mass.) The Sharks' ace is in the midst of a fantastic season with a 13-8 record, a 2.15 ERA, and 200 strikeouts – the most in a season in Simmons program history – in 150 innings. The sophomore leads the GNAC in wins, complete games (17), innings, strikeouts, K/7 (9.33), and WHIP (1.03).
• #7 Raya Anderson (Rollinsford, N.H.) One of five players to appear in all 38 of the Sharks' games this spring, Anderson is hitting .364 (43-118) with 27 runs, two doubles, three triples, and 26 stolen bases. The junior center fielder is third in the conference in stolen bases and seventh in walks (17) and OBP (.457).
• #9 Teagan Buckley (Barrington, Ill.) In 29 games this season, Buckley – a sophomore left fielder - is hitting .347 (33-95) with 12 runs, three doubles, two triples, a home run, and 13 RBI.
• #5 Emma Soule (Farmingdale, Maine) The sophomore third baseman is hitting .302 (26-101) with 10 runs, five doubles, a triple, and 12 RBI and reached base seven times in three tourney wins last weekend.

ATTITUDE REFLECTS LEADERSHIP:

Saint Joseph's: Jamie Smyth '92 (27th season, 598-418, .589)

The winningest coach in SJC softball program history, Smyth ranks third in SJC Athletics in career victories and has guided the Monks to eight championships during his time in the dugout. The 10-time Coach of the Year honoree – including four GNAC top skipper honors – has led Saint Joseph's to 22 winning seasons and at least 30 victories six times.

Simmons: Brook Capello (9th season, 229-246-1, .481)

Capello is in her ninth season at the helm of the Simmons softball team after joining the Sharks in the spring of 2016 following a five-year stint as the Head Coach at Newbury College. Under Capello's leadership and tutelage, she has recorded six 20-plus win seasons, including a 26-win campaign in 2022, and has received Coach of the Year recognition twice (2013 and 2019). Additionally, she has taken four teams to their respective conference championship tournaments, including reaching the title game in 2013 and 2019, before winning her first conference title in 2023.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

The Monks and Sharks have met on the softball diamond 42 times, with the first meeting taking place during the 2005 spring break (SJC win, 4-3; 3/7/05), and the most recent being a GNAC doubleheader split in Boston earlier this spring (SU 7-1, SJC 6-0; 4/7/24). Saint Joseph's owns the series advantage with a 25-17 record versus Simmons.

The Sharks have held the upper hand recently with an 8-2 advantage over the Monks in the last 10 meetings. Simmons posted a nine-game winning streak against St. Joe's from April 8th, 2018, to May 5th, 2022.

GNAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY:

Saint Joseph's has advanced to the postseason every year since joining the GNAC in the fall of 2007 and sports a 32-19 (.628) record with four GNAC Championships over the last 15 seasons.

Simmons, the reigning GNAC Champions, has competed in the GNAC Tournament in 19 of 20 years (missed the tourney in 2016) and is 29-31 (.483) in postseason play since 2003. For the Sharks, the 2023 conference title was the first in program history.

The Monks and Sharks have faced off in the GNAC tourney on 11 occasions – Saint Joseph's owns a 6-5 record in those meetings.

TEAM STATISTICS COMPARISON:

2024 GNAC Softball Tournament Schedule/Results:

Play-In - Tuesday, April 30

Game 1 - #5N New England College def. #4N Rivier, 3-1 | BOX
Game 2 - #4S Albertus Magnus def. #5S University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), 3-1 | BOX

Pod Play Day 1 - Thursday, May 2

Saint Joseph's (Maine) Pod
Game 3A - #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine) def. #5N New England College, 9-4 | BOX
Game 4A - #3S Johnson & Wales def. #2S Mitchell, 7-1 | BOX

Lasell Pod
Game 3B - #1S Lasell def. #4S Albertus Magnus, 3-2 | BOX
Game 4B - #3N Simmons def. #2N Emmanuel, 2-1 (11 inn.) | BOX

Pod Play Day 2 - Saturday, May 4

Saint Joseph's (Maine) Pod
Game 5A - #5N New England College def. #2S Mitchell, 6-3 | BOX
Game 6A - #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine) def. #3S Johnson & Wales, 11-4 | BOX
Game 7A - #3S Johnson & Wales def. #5N New England College, 4-3 (9 inn.) | BOX

Lasell Pod
Game 5B - #2N Emmanuel def. #4S Albertus Magnus, 4-2 (9 inn.) | BOX
Game 6B - #3N Simmons def. #1S Lasell, 6-0 | BOX
Game 7B - #1S Lasell def. #2N Emmanuel, 3-1 | BOX

Pod Finals - Sunday, May 5

Saint Joseph's (Maine) Pod
Game 8A - #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine) def. #3S Johnson & Wales, 8-7 (8 inn.) | BOX

Lasell Pod
Game 8B - #3N Simmons def. #1S Lasell, 5-4 | BOX

Championship Series - Friday, May 10

Game 10 - #3N Simmons vs. #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine), 4 p.m.

Championship Series Day 2- Saturday, May 11

Game 11 - #3N Simmons vs. #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine), 2 p.m.
Game 12 - #3N Simmons vs. #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine), if necessary