Storm softball team opens 2017 season with challenging slate

ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Simpson softball team begins the Brent Matthias era today at the Rochester Dome Tournament hosted by Luther. The Storm hit the ground running with a challenging schedule featuring a pair of top-25 opponents.

LISTEN ONLINE
Fans can listen to all of the weekend action at SimpsonAthletics.com. Veteran broadcaster Todd Guessford will have the call beginning at 11:45 a.m. Saturday and 9:45 a.m. Sunday.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Saturday — vs. #14 St. Thomas, 12 p.m.
Saturday — vs. Wis.-La Crosse, 2 p.m.
Sunday — vs. St. Scholastica, 10 a.m.
Sunday — vs. #9 St. Catherine, 12 p.m.

THE STORM
Simpson and first-year head coach Brent Matthias return four starters from last year's team that went 31-11 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Among the Storm's top returners are second team all-conference outfielder Brianna Chaplin (.376 BA, 5 2B, 7 HR, 18 RBIs) and two-year starting infielder Taylor Davis (.312 BA, 6 2B, 1 HR, 16 RBIs). In all the Storm return 11 players with game experience. 

Simpson will be without the services of four all-conference performers from 2016, including pitchers Riley Fisher and Abbie VanVleet. Junior right-hander Maggie Long is the team's lone returning pitcher, going 2-2 with a 2.58 ERA in 19 IP a year ago.

THE OPPONENTS
Simpson faces a gauntlet of a schedule to start the season. No. 14 St. Thomas won the MIAC a year ago and advanced to NCAA Tournament Finals, closing the season 43-8. No. 9 St. Catherine went 34-11 and tied for third in the MIAC, reaching the regional round of the NCAA Tournament. St. Scholastica went 26-15 to win the UMAC and Wis.-La Crosse tied for second in the WIAC.