Simpson closes Finlandia Tournament 3-3

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Simpson softball team went 1-2 on the final day of the 2011 Finlandia Dome Tournament on Sunday, closing the weekend 3-3.

After a crazy first day that saw the Storm play three, 5-inning contests, Sunday produced three games decided by three runs or less. Simpson fell to UW-Oshkosh, 7-6 in eight innings and UW-Superior, 4-2 before closing with a 5-2 win against Concordia (Wis.).

The Simpson offense clicked on all cylinders during the weekend, hitting .354 with 10 doubles, seven home runs and three triples. Allie Hock hit .526, Keri Sorensen, Kiersten Ruff and Hillary Harmon each had 7 RBIs and Harmon and Tieryn Potratz hit three home runs apiece.

Hock was named to the all-tournament team.

UW-Oshkosh 7, Simpson 6 (8 inn.)
Sydnee Wyss drove in a run and scored on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the eighth inning, completing a five-run comeback for the Titans.

Solo home runs by Harmon and Potratz helped Simpson build a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning. But Oshkosh strung together five hits in its last at-bat and scored a run each on a wild pitch and an error to tie the game.

With the international tie-breaker in effect, Carissa Coopman drove in a run in the top of the eighth on a groundout, making the score 6-5.

Jessica Toyne suffered the loss, allowing four runs - two earned - off three hits in the final 1 1/3 innings. Kacee Arey went six innings and struck out five in the start.

UW-Superior 4, Simpson 2
Yellowjacket pitcher Amanda Lebard held Simpson to five hits in the complete-game effort.

Trailing 4-0 going into the seventh, the Storm got RBI singles from Kylie Van Houten and Coopman. But Kiersten Ruff was gunned down for the final out trying to go from first to third on Coopman's single.

Toyne took the loss in the circle, allowing three runs - all earned - off five hits in 1 2/3 innings. Bryn Johnson closed the game, allowing one run off a homer in 4 1/3 innings.

Simpson 5, Concordia (Wis.) 2
Potratz and Sorensen homered for the Storm as Simpson built an early lead and held off the Falcons.

Simpson got out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Van Houten and Hock scoring on a wild pitch. Potratz homered in the third, Sorensen in the fourth and Veronica Roshek had an RBI single in the fifth to give Simpson a three-run cushion.

Arey went six innings in the win, allowing two hits and striking out six. Johnson came on for the save, striking out two in the seventh.

Simpson is off until March 11 when it makes its annual spring break trip to Kissimmee, Fla. for the Rebel Spring Games. There, the Storm will play 14 games from March 11-19.