Coe tops Simpson in wild game

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Nick Stein and Sean Raisch combined for seven RBIs and Coe scored 10 runs in the seventh inning in a 16-11 win over Simpson in the series opener Friday night.

The two teams combined for 27 runs, 34 hits, seven hit batters, five wild pitches and four errors on the night, but it was the big inning by the Kohawks (27-10, 16-6 Iowa Conference) that made the difference.

Stein hit a three-run homer in the inning that saw 15 batters step to the plate. Stein finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs and Raisch went 4-for-6 with three RBIs.

Dave Johnson (West Des Moines, Iowa) went a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored for the Storm (21-14, 13-8). His triple in the third set the program record for triples in a career with 15. His seven in 2011 is one shy of tying Simpson's single-season record.

Colton Calvert (St. Charles, Iowa) had two hits and two RBIs and Drew Yarkosky (Albia, Iowa) went 3-for-6. Kyle Ruehle (Cherokee, Iowa) took the loss, allowing six runs - three earned - in 1/3 of an inning. He fell to 2-2 with the loss.

John King (2-1) picked up the win in relief, allowing three runs in one inning. Tyler Hixson earned the save, holding Simpson to one hit in the final two innings.

Tyler Crandell (Ames, Iowa) drove in a run on a fielder's choice in the fourth, giving the Storm a 3-2 lead. A double by Jake Barr (Henderson, Nev.) and a single off the bat of Justin Svehla (Lincoln, Iowa) added two more runs in the fifth.

Coe tied the game with three runs in the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Dave Johnson drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Blake Heitmeier (Mt. Pleasant, Iowa) and Ethan Hale (Clive, Iowa) scored on wild pitches for a 6-3 lead.

Simpson led 8-5 after the sixth.

The loss eliminates Simpson's chances of winning the Iowa Conference. The No. 2 seed in the conference tournament is still within reach, however. The Storm need to sweep tomorrow's doubleheader against Coe and get a Loras win over Wartburg.

Saturday's first pitch is set for 1 p.m.