Storm sweep Wis.-La Crosse in final non-conference tilt

INDIANOLA, Iowa - The Simpson softball team finished its non-conference schedule with a doubleheader sweep against Wis.-La Crosse on Friday evening, holding on for a 7-5 win in the opener before running away with a 13-1, five-inning win in the nightcap.

Abbie VanVleet and Tori Haag homered in the opener and Rachel Guessford went deep in the nightcap for the Storm (21-4), who extended their winning streak to five games. The Eagles (13-6) nearly erased a five-run deficit in game one before seeing their five-game winning streak come to a close. 

Game 1
Haag hit her fourth leadoff homer of the season and VanVleet crushed a three-run bomb to right as Simpson put up six in the first to take a 6-1 lead. The Storm managed just one more run - thanks to a throwing error - and had to hold on down the stretch.

Riley Fisher earned her third save, going 1 2/3 innings in relief of VanVleet (9-1), who allowed 14 hits but just five runs. Fisher held the pesky Eagles to just one hit.

Shortstop Sydney Schemenauer had a tough day in the field, committing three errors, but her home run in the sixth helped La Crosse pull within 7-5.

Game 2
Simpson led just 3-1 before getting 10 runs off just five hits in the deciding fourth inning. The Storm got five runs from bases-loaded walks alone, adding a two-RBI single from VanVleet.

Brianna Chaplin went 3-for-3 on the day and Taylor Davis drove in three runs. Fisher (10-0) remained undefeated on the year, fanning seven and holding La Crosse to just five hits.

Up next
The Storm open Iowa Conference play with a crucial matchup at 20th-ranked Central on Tuesday, April 5. The Storm have won just three of their last 12 meetings with the Dutch.

Notes
Davis and Haag extended their team-high hitting streaks to 13 games ... with three hits on the day, Haag moved into sole possession of third-place on Simpson's all-time hits list (175), five shy of tying the school record ... she is also within reach of the career marks in RBIs (95) and total bases (280) ... Haag already owns school records for doubles (41) and times hit by a pitch (18) in a career, and her career .397 batting average is two points ahead of the mark set by Jenny (White) Jorgensen from 1996-97 ... Guessford's home run increased her IIAC-leading total to seven on the season and gives her 17 for her career, third all-time at Simpson ... Haag is second with 20 career home runs ... Fisher's save in game one improves her career total to six, just three shy of the school record set by Amy Kulisky from 2000-03.