Simpson tops Loras, advances to play Luther

DECORAH, Iowa – Kacee Arey threw a two-hit shutout and Veronica Roshek went 2-for-3 with an RBI as the Simpson softball team avoided elimination with a 5-0 win over Loras in the Iowa Conference Tournament on Friday.

The third-seeded Storm (29-14) advance to play top-seeded Luther (35-5) in an elimination game at 4 p.m. Friday.

Arey (26-14) struck out one and walked two in her 42^nd appearance of the spring, tying Simpson-great Kelly Schade's record for most appearances in a season. She allowed only two runners into scoring position on the day.

Roshek reached base in three of her four plate appearances and scored twice. She walked and scored a run in the first and doubled in a run as part Simpson's three-run fourth.

Chelsea Winegard went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI and Tieryn Potratz homered in the third, her first home run in over a month.

Lara Mangialardi finished with a double and Kellie Klein (8-4) went 3 2/3 inside the circle for the fifth-seeded Duhawks (20-18).

After losing its first game to fourth-seeded Coe, Luther beat Buena Vista 6-1 in Friday's first game. Simpson and Luther split their regular season series as the Storm handed the Norse their only loss in conference play.