Guessford, Storm play longball in doubleheader sweep
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Iowa Wesleyan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
|
Simpson | 8 | 0 | 0 | 9 | X | 17 | 18 | 0 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Iowa Wesleyan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
|
Simpson | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | X | 21 | 18 | 0 |
INDIANOLA, Iowa - The only thing slowing down Simpson's offense Saturday was the weather. Which it did. Twice. For snow delays.
The Simpson softball team pounded out 38 runs on 36 hits, blasting seven home runs in a doubleheader sweep against Iowa Wesleyan in the 2016 home opener, winning game one 17-2 in five innings and game two 21-2 in five.
On a cold, blustery day, the temperatures didn't get out of the low 40s. Play was stopped twice - once in each game - as heavy snowfall limited visibility.
Rachel Guessford hit three home runs - two in one inning - and drove in 10 runs to lead the Storm (19-4). Each Simpson player that had an at-bat registered a hit.
Tori Haag had two home runs, including a grand slam, driving in six runs on the day. Grace Hall and Brianna Chaplin also homered as Hall finished with five hits. Haag and Riley Fisher each finished with four hits and Guessford paced the team with a 6-for-7 effort.
Simpson trailed 2-0 after the top of the first but responded with eight in the home half. Haag set the pace for the day with a leadoff homer over the left field fence. Guessford homered twice in a nine-run fourth, including a two-run moon shot that went off the light pole in left center.
After a shaky first inning, Abbie VanVleet retired 12 of the next 13 batters. VanVleet (8-1) struck out eight and walked just one.
The Storm led 6-2 in game two before erupting for 15 runs in the fourth. Simpson sent 20 batters to the plate, highlighted by a grand slam lazer off the bat of Haag. Hall hit a three-run shot in the inning.
Guessford hit a three-run homer in the first and Chaplin went deep to center two batters later.
Fisher tossed three scoreless innings before giving up two in the third. Fisher (9-0) allowed two earned runs and three hits, fanning six.
Game notes: Guessford had the 23rd multi-home run game in school history, seven of which have occurred in the past two seasons alone ... Simpson's 21 runs in game two are tied for the third-most in school history and most since the Storm put up 37 (game two) and 25 (game one) against Crown in 2008.
Up next: Simpson hosts Wis.-La Crosse in a doubleheader on Friday, April 1.
