Hits hard to come by as Storm split with Buena Vista

STORM LAKE - Kiersten Ruff's two-run homer lifted Simpson to a 6-0 win over Buena Vista in game one of a doubleheader on Thursday, but the offense managed only three hits in the nightcap, falling 4-1.

Entering the day with more hits than any other team in the conference, the Storm (21-13, 7-5 Iowa Conference) managed only seven hits against a resilient Buena Vista pitching staff.

Despite collecting only four hits in game one, Simpson rode the right arm of pitcher Kacee Arey (Lucas, Iowa) to a 6-0 win.

Arey (11-5) shut out Buena Vista in six innings of work, allowing only three hits. Ruff (Council Bluffs, Iowa), a senior, hit the first home run of her career in the third inning, a two-run shot over the left field fence.

Leading 2-0, two Buena Vista errors resulted in three runs for the Storm in the fifth. An RBI double by Keri Sorensen (Bettendorf, Iowa) added the final tally in the sixth, as Simpson snapped a four-game losing streak.

The lack of offense came back to haunt Simpson in the nightcap, as the Beavers (10-20, 1-9) tallied 11 hits. Aphton Roberts went 3-for-3 with an RBI and Susan Kies hit her third home run of the season, a solo shot in the first inning.

Allie Hock (Lawrence, Kan.) had two hits for Simpson, which plated its run off an error in the seventh. Bryn Johnson (Laurens-Marathon) took the loss, allowing four runs in 3 1/3 innings while moving to 3-4 on the year.

Buena Vista pulled away in the fourth, stringing together five consecutive base hits with one out. Chancey Wilke went the distance in the circle, striking out five.  

Simpson returns home Saturday, April 23 to host Cornell (22-8, 5-5) on Senior Day, the final home doubleheader of the season. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. from Simpson Softball Complex.