Simpson drops IIAC Tourney opener to Wartburg

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Scott Benson struck out 12 batters as Wartburg handed the Simpson baseball team a 6-3 loss in the first round of the Iowa Conference Tournament at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Ethan Hale drove in two runs for the sixth-seeded Storm (18-23), who move to the bottom of the bracket to play fourth-seeded Luther in the first elimination game at 10 a.m. Friday. The Norse (22-19) lost to fifth-seeded Buena Vista 8-5.

Tony Stenberg had three hits and Andrew Krehbiel had two RBIs for the third-seeded Knights (23-18), who advance to play second-seeded Coe at 4 p.m. Thursday.

The right-handed Benson (7-4) went the distance, scattering 11 hits without allowing an earned run for his second win against Simpson this season.

Aaron Young (4-7) went 5 1/3 innings, but his outing was cut short after being struck with a come-backer off the bat of Krehbiel. He gave up five runs – four earned – and struck out four. Jose Rodriguez went the final 2 2/3.

Wartburg built a 3-0 lead thanks to a RBI single by Ryan Doty in the first and a two-run single by Krehbiel in the second.

Trailing 4-1 in the fifth, Hale bounced a two-out single through the left side to score Michael Chia and Brett Crable, both of whom singled earlier in the frame.

Wartburg came back with a run on a passed ball in the fifth and Jake Raecker added an insurance run on a single in the seventh.