Storm lose heartbreakers at Loras

DUBUQUE, Iowa -- The Simpson softball team couldn't overcome slow starts in Tuesday's doubleheader at Loras, losing both games 3-2. The Storm's seventh-inning rally fell one run short in game one while Loras won the nightcap on a walkoff.

The Storm are now 18-12 overall and 4-6 in the Iowa Conference while the Duhawks snapped a three-game losing streak with a pair of wins, moving to 15-12 overall and 3-3 in the Iowa Conference.

Game One

Loras 3, Simpson 2

Hannah Towns went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Emily Reilly went the distance in the circle to lead Loras to the game-one win.

Emily Bell struck out the first four batters of the game, but the Duhawk bats heated up in the third. Shannon Coyle drove in the first run off a double to right and Hannah Towns tacked on another off a single to left center. The Duhawks added another in the sixth off a single to right center from Melanie Gerbig.

The Storm trailed 3-0 going into the seventh before Madison Rasmusson smacked a two-run homer, her first long ball of the year. The Storm couldn't complete the comeback, though, falling just short.

Top Offensive Performances
Madison Rasmusson — 2-4, HR, 2 RBI
Brooke Brommel — 1-3, 2B
Madi Bennett — 1-3, 2B
Ashley Allen — 3-4

Pitching Breakdown
Emily Bell — L (10-4), 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 Ks

Game Two

Loras 3, Simpson 2

Bria Lenten went 2-for-3 with two RBIs including, including the game-winning, walkoff single, and Emma Corkill came in at pitcher in the fourth to carry the Duhawks past the Storm in the night cap of the doubleheader.

Loras opened the scoring early in the first off a single from Hannah Towns to right field, just the third batter of the game for the Duhawks. Two batters later, Bria Lenten brought home another runner off a double to left center.

Ashley Allen put the Storm on the board in the fifth with a single up the middle allowing Madison Rasmusson to score. The Storm entered the seventh down 2-1 in desperate need of some offense. Annie Stolte brought in the tying run with a sacrifice flyout to left field, allowing Madison Rasmusson to round home once more.

Emily Schilke recorded two quick outs in the Loras seventh before Towns reached on an infield single. Lauren Fritz followed with a single to put runners at first and second and Lenten drove in the winning run with a base hit through the middle.

Top Offensive Performances
Madison Rasmusson — 3-4, 2B
Kasiah Ehresman — 2-4
Arianna Kim — 2-4

Pitching Breakdown
Emily Schilke — L (1-1), 3.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER ,1 BB, 2 Ks
Kelli Hanson — 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER ,1 BB, 0 Ks

Game Notes
• Madison Rasmusson went 5-for-8 on the day, extending her hitting streak to 15 games. She raised her batting average to .500 for the season, tying her for first in the league with Luther's Anna Strien. She has reached safely in 21 straight games.
• The Storm out-hit Loras 21-18 on the day but stranded 19 runners on base -- nine in game one and 10 in game two.

Up Next
The Storm are scheduled to host a doubleheader with Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday, April 21. Start time is set for 1 p.m.