Storm drop two at Central

PELLA, Iowa -- The Simpson baseball team led early in both halves of Saturday's Iowa Conference doubleheader at Central but couldn't come away with a win, losing game one 4-3 before falling 13-3 in the nightcap.

The Storm are now 4-26 overall and 2-15 in the Iowa Conference while the Dutch improve to 14-15 and 5-8.

Game One

Central 4, Simpson 3

Trey Kehoe had a gutsy performance on the mound and drove in two runs at the plate but Trevor Kimm's RBI, go-ahead groundout in the fourth stood up as Central beat Simpson 4-3 in game one.

Kehoe threw 134 pitches and helped his own cause with a two-RBI single in the first. Simpson led 3-2 on Noah Sacco's RBI double in the third but Central came back with two in the fourth to take the lead for good.

Garrett Saunders tripled to drive in the first run and scored the go-ahead run on Kimm's groundout to make a winner out of Nick Long. He allowed three runs -- all earned -- off seven hits in seven innings.

Kehoe allowed four runs -- all earned -- on 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings, walking seven and striking out five.

Top Offensive Performances
Noah Sacco — 3-5, 2B, RBI
Jared Herzog — 2-5, 2B
Trey Kehoe — 1-2, 2 RBIs

Pitching Breakdown
Trey Kehoe — L (0-5), 6.2 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 7 BB, 5 Ks
Curt Castenson — 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 Ks

Game Two

Central 13, Simpson 3 (8 innings)

Simpson built an early 3-1 lead but Central scored eight runs in the third inning en-route to a 13-3 win in the final game of the series.

Hunter Hillygus doubled to score two in the top of the third, giving Simpson a 3-1 lead.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Central put up eight in the home half of the third.

Tanner Wood drove in the first run of the frame on an infield single, part of a four-hit day. Joe Rebik added two on a single to close the rally.

Curt Castenson suffered the loss, giving up five runs -- four earned -- off five hits in 2 1/3 innings.

Top Offensive Performances
Hunter Hillygus — 2-3, 2B, 2 RBIs
Jared Herzog — 1-3, RBI

Pitching Breakdown
Curt Castenson — L (0-5), 2.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 Ks
Cameron Liston — 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 0 Er, 1 BB, 1 K
Michael Sunga — 3.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 Ks
Devon Veach — 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 Ks
Ethan Coble — 0.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 Er, 0 BB, 0 Ks

Up Next
Simpson is off for finals week, resuming play next Friday, April 27 to open a three-game set against Buena Vista. Game one of the series is set to get underway at 6 p.m. from McBride Field.