Posted: Mar 14, 2013

Simpson cracks top 25

INDIANOLA, Iowa – After receiving votes in the first two polls of the season, the Simpson softball team broke into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 Poll this week, coming in at No. 18.

The Storm are 17-3 on the season and started out the year by winning their first 13 games before dropping a 3-1 decision to now-No. 5 Trine on March 5. Simpson went 6-0 at the season-opening Superior Dome Tournament in Marquette, Mich. and posted an 11-3 mark at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. last week.

Hailey Jensen leads the team with a .507 batting average and 22 RBIs. Newcomer Ashley Prettyman is hitting .443 with 19 RBIs and Kylie Van Houten leads the team with five home runs to go along with a .439 batting average. Senior pitcher Kacee Arey is currently 11-2 with an impressive 1.65 ERA.

Simpson was scheduled to open the home portion of its schedule Sunday, March 17, but the doubleheader against St. Olaf was canceled due to unplayable field conditions. Simpson is set to host Westminster (Mo.) in a doubleheader on March 26.

NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll - Week 3
Rank	Team (1st votes)	Record	Points	Prev
1	Montclair State (7)	4-0	199	1
2	Emory (1)	25-1	182	4
3	Texas-Tyler	13-1	181	3
4	Illinois Wesleyan	4-1	173	8
5	Trine	11-1	170	11
6	Eastern Connecticut State	0-0	151	6
7	Luther	1-1	148	2
8	Tufts	0-0	139	5
t-9	Linfield	2-2	114	9
t-9	Plattsburgh State	0-0	114	12
11	Redlands	12-4	112	13
12	Chrstopher Newport	10-5	107	7
13	East Texas Baptist	12-2	96	25
14	Piedmont	12-2	86	nr
15	Carthage	4-0	72	18
16	St. Thomas (Minn.)	6-2	63	21
17	Salisbury	12-2	60	19
18	Simpson	17-3	56	nr
19	Coe	13-1	55	nr
20	Rowan	4-2	46	20
21	Moravian	8-2	41	14
22	Claremont-Mudd-Scripps	11-6	40	nr
23	Roanoke	9-3	38	16
24	Washington (Mo.)	13-2	32	26
25	College of New Jersey	4-1	28	nr

Others Receiving Votes: Pacific Lutheran (27), Central (25), Chapman (15), Ohio Northern (10), Amherst (6), Louisiana College (6), Muhlenberg (6), Alma (2)