Huyser no-no fuels Simpson sweep

INDIANOLA - Despite a game-time temperature barely above freezing, the right arm of Mike Huyser was far from cold.

Huyser tossed Simpson's first no-hitter in nearly 12 years as part of a 10-0, eight-inning win over Dubuque in game one of Sunday's doubleheader at McBride Field. With a 4-0 win in game two, the Storm (9-5, 2-0 Iowa Conference) swept their conference opener.

The thermostat read 37 degrees when Huyser threw the game's first pitch at 2 p.m.

The back-to-back shutouts mark the first time Simpson has held an opponent scoreless in consecutive games since April 6, 1999, when the Storm kept Coe off the scoreboard in a doubleheader in Indianola. Matt McCollough threw a no-hitter in game one.

Huyser, along with game-two pitchers Paul Brown and Chris Dorff, combined to one-hit the Spartans (10-3, 0-2) in 15 innings on Sunday. Originally scheduled for a three-game set, snow on Friday forced the teams to play one nine and one seven-inning game Sunday. Game one ended early due to the 10-run rule.

Dubuque came into the game riding a seven-game winning streak and was off to its best start in over 20 years.

Game 1: Simpson 10, Dubuque 0
Huyser (3-1) struck out six and walked two in the no-hitter, facing three batters over the minimum in his eight innings on the mound. Drew Yarkosky went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Tyler Crandell drove in two, going 3-for-5.

Mark Hennessy (2-1) took the loss, allowing five runs off eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Simpson scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to end the game an inning early.

Game 2: Simpson 4, Dubuque 0
Simpson got another great start on the hill, as Brown (2-1) tossed five innings of one-hit ball while striking out four. Dave Johnson hit his second home run of the year and career long ball No. 15, going 1-for-2 with two runs scored.

With seven total bases on the day, Johnson became Simpson's career leader with 248. He passed Jon Clanton, who had 246 from 2001-03 and 2005-06.

Chris Dorff held Dubuque hitless in two innings of relief, striking out two. Paul Krenger (2-1) took the loss, allowing four runs off five hits in five innings.

Simpson returns to action with a non-conference doubleheader against Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m.