Storm secure walk-off win over Pipers in 14th inning

INDIANOLA, Iowa – The Simpson College baseball team closed its 2023 nonconference slate with a 4-3 walk-off victory over Hamline in 14 innings, tallying its eighth consecutive win in the process.

Matthew Marquez delivered the game-winning single just minutes after the contest topped the four hour mark, swinging on the first pitch of his at-bat after Simpson (10-6) loaded the bases with an error, a walk and an intentional walk.

The run was the first scored by either team since Tyler Johnson knotted the game up at 3-3 with a double in the top of the eighth. The Pipers (4-13) also tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the fifth inning, but Simpson wasted no time going back in front as Ty Cowley led off the bottom half with a single and scored on Ian Baldwin's double to deep left center.

Eight of Simpson's 10 hits came from the top third of head coach Nathan Roling's lineup as Cowley and Brady Held tallied three hits each and Baldwin added two. Held recorded two doubles in the game including one to left center in the opening frame which allowed Baldwin to score from first.

The Storm used seven pitchers in the win led by seniors Dallas Jackson and Max Crooks. Jackson struck out six batters across the first five innings and Crooks added five more in the final three frames as Simpson finished the game with 18 strikeouts.

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The Storm begin American Rivers Conference play with a trip to Loras on Tuesday.