Storm fall to Dubuque in regular season finale
DUBUQUE, Iowa - Simpson built a five run lead in the first two innings but Dubuque came back to take a 10-9 win in the regular season finale Sunday afternoon at Chlapaty Field.
Dubuque won the series 2-1, as the two teams split a doubleheader Saturday. Dubuque won the first game 6-2 before Simpson took the nightcap, 10-2.
Simpson earned the No. 5 seed in this week's Iowa Conference Tournament and plays fourth-seeded Coe in the first round Thursday at 1 p.m.
Scott Ethell (Knoxville, Iowa/Knoxville) homered and drove in two runs for the Storm (20-16, 12-11 IIAC), who scored three runs in the first inning and two in the second in building a 5-0 lead.
The Spartans (11-28, 5-19) crept back into the game with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth. In the sixth inning, Dubuque batted around and got a two-RBI double from Noah Mahlik on its way to five runs in the frame.
Dubuque committed seven errors in the game
Trailing 9-7 going into the top of the ninth, Colton Calvert (St. Charles, Iowa/I-35) hit a solo homer to lead off the inning. A Grant Thomas (Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) double and a sacrifice bunt by Justin Svehla (Lincoln, Neb./Northeast) put a runner at third for a sacrifice fly by Bobby Bieniek (Barrington, Ill./Barrington).
In the bottom of the ninth, Andrew Danna drove in his third run of the game on a walk-off single for Dubuque, giving the Spartans the 10-9 win.
Mike Huyser (Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) took the loss for Simpson, tossing the final 3 1/3 innings. Huyser (3-4) gave up three runs - two earned - off eight hits.
In the Storm's 10-2 win Saturday, Ethan Hale (Clive, Iowa/West Des Moines Valley) had a career-high four hits and three RBIs. Calvert also drove in three runs, homering in the fourth inning.
Tyler Crandell (Ames, Iowa/Ames) hit his first career home run in the third inning and Chris Dorff (Urbandale, Iowa/West Des Moines Valley) picked up the complete-game win. Dorff (4-2) gave up two runs off six hits, striking out four.
