Seven-run eighth pushes Wartburg past Storm

WAVERLY, Iowa -- Tyler Nunemaker hit a grand-slam in a seven-run eighth inning and Wartburg pulled away to beat the Simpson baseball team 15-5 in eight innings Wednesday, concluding the three-game series.

Nunemaker and Tyler Hovick-- who also homered -- had four RBIs apiece for the Knights (15-8, 6-3 Iowa Conference), who swept the season series. The duo combined to go 6-for-9 with four extra-base hits.

Simpson stayed within striking distance for most of the game and led 4-3 in the third. Hunter Hillygus drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Trey Kehoe laid down a bunt single to give Simpson the lead.

Wartburg tied it in the fourth, took a 5-4 lead on Cody Hyler's RBI triple in the fifth and made it 8-4 with three runs in the sixth. Hillygus doubled in a run in the seventh to pull within 8-5.

Reliever Curt Castenson retired the first two batters in the eighth before running into trouble. Nunemaker's slam followed a hit-by-pitch and four straight walks.

The Storm (3-20, 2-10) out-hit Wartburg 13-12 but the Knights held a 6-3 advantage in extra-base hits.

Top Offensive Performances
Jared Herzog — 2-3, RBI, BB
Nathan Carlin — 2-3, RBI, R
Trey Kehoe — 2-4, RBI
Noah Sacco — 2-4, 2 R
Kolton Arnold — 2-4
Hunter Hillygus — 1-3, 2B, 2 RBIs

Pitching Breakdown
Cameron Liston — L (0-3), 4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 Ks
Curt Castenson — 3.2 IP, 3 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 7 BB, 3 Ks
J Lowery — 0.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER 0 BB, 0 Ks

Up Next
Simpson hosts Dubuque in a doubleheader Thursday, Aug. 12 beginning at 3 p.m. The series was originally set to take place Friday and Saturday but was moved up due to an unfavorable weekend forecast for most of the state.