Simpson drops two against UW-La Crosse

PHOENIX - Simpson lost a doubleheader against UW-La Crosse at the Russ Matt Greater Phoenix Invitational on Sunday, falling 6-3 in game one and 3-2 in the nightcap.

Brad Agan went 3-for-4 on the day with a double and the Storm (4-3) got six innings each out of starters Chris Dorff and Kyle Ruehle.

UW-La Crosse 6, Simpson 3
Simpson scored two runs in the top of the first, but La Crosse starter Garret Scray held Simpson to one run off four hits over the next five innings in the 6-3 win.

Simpson took advantage of three Eagle errors, accounting for all three runs. Trent Svehla singled in Colton Calvert in the first and Dave Johnson scored on an error by the second baseman. Calvert drove in Simpson's third run off a groundout in the fifth inning.

La Crosse answered Simpson's two-run first with three in the bottom of the inning and never trailed again. Scray went six innings, allowing three unearned runs and striking out eight in the win. Tim Verthein earned the save and Matt Trocke went 2-for-3 with a home run.

Dave Johnson and Agan each went 2-for-3. Ruehle (0-1) allowed six runs - five earned - off seven hits in six innings of work on the mound.

UW-La Crosse 3, Simpson 2
Scoreless through four innings, La Crosse put up two runs in the fifth and added an insurance run in the sixth in the 3-2 win.

Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Zach Smith led the inning off with a double and later scored when Justin Svehla reached on an error. Down by a run with the bases loaded and one out, La Crosse-starter Zach Lauersdorf capped off the complete game by striking out Tyler Crandell and Trent Svehla.

Smith went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored and Justin Svehla drove in a run with a double. Dorff (2-1) took the loss, allowing three runs in six innings of work.

Lauersdorf allowed two runs - one earned - and struck out eight in the win.

Simpson is off Monday and returns to action Tuesday with a doubleheader against Marian.