Allen plays long ball as Storm battle in losses to fourth-ranked Luther
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Simpson | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 3 |
|
Luther | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | X | 7 | 11 | 1 |
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Simpson | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
|
Luther | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 15 | 1 |
DECORAH, Iowa — Ashley Allen homered twice on the day and the Simpson softball team carried a tie game into the sixth-inning against No. 4 Luther in game two before falling 7-4. Simpson led the Iowa Conference champions through three innings in the opener before falling 11-3 in six innings.
Game 1
Allen homered to lead off the game then drove in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the second as Simpson opened up a 3-2 lead after three innings. Luther came back with four runs in the fourth, getting three on a homer by Anna Strein.
Bailey Victoria hit a solo homer in a three-run fifth and the Norse (37-3, 15-1 Iowa Conference) tacked on two more in the sixth to close the run-ruled contest. Victoria and Bailey Hocker each went 4-for-4 and Samantha Bratland (19-2) got the win.
Allen and Madison Rasmusson had two hits apiece while Maggie Long (2-15) gave up seven earned runs in four innings in the loss.
Game 2
Just like game one, Allen homered to lead off the nightcap and Simpson rallied with three runs in the third to tie the game. Kayla Reusche's two-RBI double and Annie Stotle's RBI bunt single helped the Storm (8-28, 3-13) tie the game 4-4.
The score remained tied until the sixth when Sara Nelson hit an RBI single to give Luther a 5-4 edge. Strien brought in two more on a double, allowing Amanda Witzlib to earn the win in relief, holding Simpson to no runs and one hit in the final 4 2/3 innings.
Rasmusson and Kayla Reusche had two hits apiece for the Storm. Rasmusson gave up five earned runs off 11 hits in the complete-game effort in the circle.
Rasmusson led off the seventh with a double but was eventually picked off to end the game.
Notes
After a slow start to the season, Simpson rallied to win 3 of 5 to close the season, including a doubleheader sweep at Dubuque on April 22 … though the offense struggled through the first 28 games, things picked up in the final eight as six players hit over .300 during the stretch … Rasmusson hit a team-high .483 during the final eight games and Allen developed into the Storm's biggest power threat, hitting .393 with four home runs, nine RBIs and an .821 slugging percentage.
