Burlin fly helps baseball beat Grinnell

GRINNELL, Iowa – Austin Burlin drove in the winning run on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning as the Simpson baseball team came back to beat Grinnell 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon.

Simpson trailed 2-0 in the seventh before Michael Chia brought in a run on a one-out triple and came in to score on a base hit by Jake Esdohr, tying the game 2-2. Chia doubled to lead off the ninth and scored the game-winning run on Burlin's sacrifice fly.

Matt Pennings retired the side in order in the ninth to get the save for the Storm (11-7). His first save of the season, Pennings now has seven in his three-year career, one shy of tying the school record currently shared by Chris Dorff (2009-12) and David Teske (1988-91).

Jake Scieszinski threw a scoreless seventh and eighth to pick up the win and improve to 3-0 on the year.

A day after committing seven errors in a game-two loss to Central, it looked as though errors would haunt Simpson again in the early going.

The Pioneers (7-10) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a fielding error and threatened for more, but starter Aaron Young got Kainoa Inafuku to fly out with the bases loaded, ending the threat.

Walker Bell drove in a run on a single to give Grinnell a 2-0 lead after the third.

Simpson didn't record its first hit until Scieszinski led off the sixth with a base hit.

Both teams utilized their bullpens in the non-conference game, as Simpson sent six hurlers to the mound and Grinnell five.

Simpson returns to Iowa Conference play this weekend when Wartburg comes to McBride Field for a four-game set beginning Friday, April 4. The league-leading Knights (11-7, 5-1) split a doubleheader with Luther on Tuesday.