Buena Vista blanks Storm in series opener

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Clint Rhodes'(Legrand, Iowa/East Marshall) best outing of the year went for naught Friday night against league-leading Buena Vista.

The senior right-hander allowed only five hits in a complete-game effort, but Buena Vista was able to push a pair of runs across the plate to secure a 2-0 win at McBride Field.

Buena Vista starter Luke Probasco scattered seven hits through eight-plus innings in the win, as the Beavers (14-7, 9-1 IIAC) won the opening game of the three-game set.

Rhodes (2-4) tied a season-high with six strikeouts on the night, but couldn't get the run support he needed as the Storm (15-9, 9-4) suffered their first shutout since a 2-0 loss against Central on April 3, 2007.

Michael Hoffman doubled, tripled, drove in a run and scored a run for Buena Vista. His RBI triple got the Beavers on the board in the fourth inning, making Simpson pay for an infield throwing error that allowed Brandon Pietzyk to reach base in the previous at-bat. 

Dave Johnson (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) and Drew Yarkosky (Albia, Iowa/Albia) each had two hits and double for Simpson, which saw its three-game winning streak come to an end. Yarkosky's double came with one out it in the eighth, but he was gunned down at third trying to leg out a triple.

Probasco (5-1) left the game after allowing a lead-off single to Zach Smith (Indianola, Iowa/Iowa) in the bottom of the ninth, but James Stone struck out the side to squelch the threat.

Simpson and Buena Vista will contest the final two games of the series Saturday in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at McBride Field.