Storm fall to Coe in IIAC Tournament pitcher's duel

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Simpson softball team struggled to find offense in 3-1 loss to Coe in the second round of the Iowa Conference Tournament on Friday.

Maddison Woodruff (20-2) struck out 11 and allowed just four hits for the top-seeded Kohawks (34-6), who handed Simpson its first loss of the tournament.

Hailey Jensen had two hits and an RBI for the fourth-seeded Storm (26-14), who started the day with an 8-0 win against Dubuque.

Simpson's will play either Central, Dubuque or Buena Vista on Saturday at 4 p.m. The winner of Saturday's first game between third-seeded Central and fifth-seeded Dubuque will advance to play sixth-seeded Buena Vista and the winner of that game moves on to play Simpson.

2014 Iowa Conference Tournament Homepage | Bracket

Taylor Riedl hit a solo homer in the second inning and Coe added two more in the third for a 3-0 lead against Simpson starter, Kaytlyn Ernst.

Ernst (7-10) – who threw a two-hitter in a 1-0 loss to Coe in the regular season – had a good outing, holding Coe to five hits and two earned runs.

Jensen broke up Woodruff's no-hit bid with a single in the fourth and put Simpson on the board with an RBI single in the sixth. Tori Haag led off the sixth with a hit-by-pitch, then moved to third on a single by Emma Negrete. Jensen brought in Haag with an infield single to make it 3-1.

Abbie Van Vleet singled with one out in the seventh but pinch-hitter Emily Macki went down on strikes and Kylie Van Houten grounded out to end the game.

Visit simpsonathletics.com or follow @StormSports on Twitter to learn who Simpson's will play Saturday afternoon.