Storm falter against Coe to close four-game set

INDIANOLA, Iowa – The Simpson baseball team couldn't overcome one rocky inning game one and a Coe power surge in game two, dropping the final two games of the four-game series 9-0 and 17-6 on Saturday afternoon.

Coe swept the four-game set, getting seven hits from shortstop Craig Konrardy on Saturday, including a 6-for-6 effort in game two.

Simpson got out to a 4-0 lead in the nightcap and led 4-3 in the sixth before Konrardy hit a bases-clearing triple, giving Coe a 6-4 lead. Grant Henning hit a two-run homer two batters later – his second long ball of the game – and Coe went on to score six in the frame.

The Kohawks (18-9, 10-8 Iowa Conference) hit four home runs in the game, getting a solo shot from AJ Reuter and a two-run homer from Jack Hoffman. Hoffman (5-1) also earned the win on the mound, tossing 5 2/3 innings of four-hit relief.

Jake Esdohr and Jake Scieszinski had three hits apiece for the Storm (6-19, 2-12), who built a 4-0 lead in the first two innings. Scieszinski drove in a run on a single in the first and added two more on a double in the seventh.

Zeb Noel went 5 1/3 innings in the loss, but looked strong early. Noel (1-5) struck out four in the first two frames and held Coe scoreless through three innings before giving up a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Reuter and Henning hit back-to-back, solo homers in the fifth to pull Coe within a run.

In the opener, Ben Jacobson held the Storm to two hits in the complete-game win. Jacobson (4-2) struck out five and retired Simpson in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh.

Matt Pennings (1-5) held his own against Jacobson for three innings before a defensive miscue resulted in seven runs – six unearned – in the fourth.

Jonathan Greiner and Bud Smith recorded hits for the Storm.

Up Next

Simpson goes to No. 18 Buena Vista for a four-game set beginning next Friday, April 17. The Beavers (17-8, 7-7) went 1-3 against Central over the weekend.