Dudar walk-off gives Storm win in 12-inning thriller

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Pinch-hitter Trevor Dudar came up with the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 12th inning in game two Saturday as the Simpson baseball team avoided a weekend sweep, beating Loras 7-6 in dramatic fashion.

The Storm (11-23, 8-14 Iowa Conference) needed four runs in the bottom of the ninth just to force extra innings before Dudar finished off the two-out rally. His single scored Hunter Hillygus, who drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on a balk and took third on a wild pitch.

The win kept Simpson in the hunt for the sixth and final spot in the IIAC Tournament with six games to go. The Storm are currently tied for fifth in the league with Dubuque.

Simpson lost the first game of Saturday's doubleheader 11-6 and lost both games on Friday, 6-1 in game one and 11-2 in the nightcap. The Duhawks (12-18, 6-14) hit .343 against Storm pitching on the weekend, scoring 34 runs with eight doubles, two triples and two home runs.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Ninth-inning rally forces extras: Loras scored three runs in the top of the ninth to take a 6-2 lead and appeared to be headed toward the four-game sweep. But Simpson came back with four in the home half, sparked by a two-out, bases clearing double by Sawyer Ocheltree. Trent Dooley homered to center to lead off the inning as Simpson improves to 2-0 in extra-inning games this season.

Englehart perfect in relief: Reliever Tyler Englehart (1-1) had his best outing of the year, holding Loras hitless over the final three innings to get his first win at Simpson. He struck out two and issued two walks in his longest outing of the season.

GAMES 1-3

Friday's games: Runs were hard to come by Friday as the Storm managed just nine hits in the doubleheader. Hillygus scored the only run in the opener, getting home on a double play in the second to give Simpson a 1-0 lead. Loras scored twice in the fourth and four times in the fifth. Both Simpson runs came in the eighth inning of game two. Jake Anctil singled and scored on a base hit by Brandon Blom and Trevor Luther scored on a wild pitch.

Saturday's first game: Extra-base RBIs from Taylor Harmon, Luther and Austin Burlin tied the game 3-3 in the fifth before Loras broke it open with eight runs in the sixth. Ryan Koester hit a two-RBI double and Patrick Walsh hit a two-run homer in rally, handing Brock Borgeson (5-4) the loss. Borgeson allowed his first earned run since April 8.

UP NEXT

Simpson has the week off for finals before concluding its series against Coe on Sunday, May 1 in Cedar Rapids. The two split a doubleheader on March 28.