Harmon powers third walk-off win as Storm sweep Dubuque

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Taylor Harmon had his second game-winning hit on the weekend, Matt Pennings closed his career as a winner and the Simpson baseball team finished the season with a 7-6, 5-3 sweep of Dubuque on Saturday.

The Storm (14-25, 10-18 Iowa Conference) got their third walk-off win of the series in game one, coming back from a six-run deficit for the nine-inning win. Pennings – who earned a relief win in game one – went the distance and struck out seven in the nightcap as Simpson swept the four-game series.

The Spartans (12-28, 7-21) built a 6-0 lead in game one, thanks in large part to home runs from Austin McWhite and Jacob Evans. McWhite hit a three-run blast to right center field off Jake Scieszinski in the third and Evans led off the fourth with a solo shot to right, also off Scieszinski.

Scieszinski made up for the home runs with his bat, though, as Simpson came back to tie it with three runs in the fifth and three in the sixth. The senior drove in three runs in the process.

Chased after four innings on the mound, Scieszinski – who remained in the game as the designated hitter – helped himself get off the hook with a two-run single in the fifth. Austin Burlin got things started with a leadoff triple in the sixth, scoring on a double by Bud Smith. Ethan Kain added an RBI single and Scieszinski drove in the game-tying run on a sacrifice fly.

Smith went 4-for-4 with two runs scored.

In the decisive ninth inning, Simpson loaded the bases thanks to a pair of singles and a Dubuque error. With two outs, Harmon – who drove in the game-winning run in game one Friday – hit Reed Stumpf's offering into shallow right, which dropped in to score Jonathan Greiner for the win.

Pennings got the final five outs to get the win while Stumpf (1-4) took the loss, giving up three runs – two earned – in 3 2/3 innings.

Pennings got the nod in game two, which started 1 hour and 45 minutes after game one ended due to showers that went through the area.

In the final start of his career, Pennings (5-5) held Dubuque to three runs and nine hits with seven strikeouts in the complete-game win.

Burlin scored on a sacrifice fly by Greiner in the first and Devan Wicks hit a two-RBI triple as part of a three-run fourth, breaking a 2-all tie.

Dalton Garst drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth but Pennings shut it down from there. The righty struck out the side in the sixth and got James Workman to ground into a game-ending double play in the seventh.

Pennings closed his career as Simpson's leader in saves (10) and as one of just 14 players with more than 100 strikeouts, collecting 119 in his three years with the Storm.