Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
The Official Home of the Simpson College Storm
Madi Bennett
Madi Bennett

Storm come up with big plays in sweep of Nebraska Wesleyan

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- Madi Bennett kept busy with nine defensive chances in game one of Saturday's doubleheader against Nebraska Wesleyan. She had just one in game two, but it was a big one.

The Storm took advantage of four errors to come away with a walkoff, 2-1 win in game one, Bennett made a game-saving catch to preserve a 2-1 win in game two and Simpson earned a pair of crucial Iowa Conference wins on Senior Day.

With the wins, the Storm (20-12, 6-6) moved into a tie for fourth place in the league standings with the Prairie Wolves (18-14, 5-5). With just four games remaining in the regular season, Simpson is the only team in the league with 12 games played. Nobody else has more than 10.


Game One

Simpson 2, Nebraska Wesleyan 1

Simpson trailed 1-0 with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh when Madison Rasmusson hit a sharp ground ball that got under the glove of second baseman Nicole Vana, allowing two runs to score for 2-1, walkoff win.

Emily Bell held the Prairie Wolves in check, tossing six shutout innings. She allowed five hits and struck out five in the complete-game win to improve to 11-4 on the year.

The Storm needed just one hit in the seventh to manufacture a pair of runs. Pinch-hitter Amron Born reached on an error to start the inning, Bennett singled with one out and pinch-hitter Alicia Perrein walked to load the bases.

Nebraska Wesleyan committed four errors in the game, spoiling a solid outing by Kailey Meyer. She allowed just four hits in 6 2/3 with two unearned runs.

Kennedy Greene's two-out, RBI single gave the Prairie Wolves a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh.

Top Offensive Performances
Madi Bennett — 2-3
Ashley Allen — 1-3, 2B
Kasiah Ehresman — 1-2

Pitching Breakdown
Emily Bell — W (11-4), 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 Ks

Game Two

Simpson 2, Nebraska Wesleyan 1

Arianna Kim drove in the go-ahead run on a single in the bottom of the sixth, Bennett made a game-saving grab for the second out in the seventh and Bell coaxed a fly-out to end it as the Storm held on for the 2-1 win in the nightcap.

With runners at second and third and one out, Danelle Snyder laced a Kelli Hanson delivery up the middle. Bennett took a step to her right and layed out to make a highlight-reel catch to rob Snyder of extra bases.

Bell came in to record the final out and pick up her first save of the season. Mary Leopold got the win, giving up one unearned run off seven hits and one walk in 6 1/3 innings.

Simpson got on the board in the first when Taylor Davis intentionally got into a rundown between first and third following a base hit, allowing Rasmusson to come home.

Top Offensive Performances
Taylor Davis — 3-3
Arianna Kim — 1-1, RBI
Madison Rasmusson — 1-3, R
Madi Bennett — 1-3

Pitching Breakdown
Mary Leopold — W (4-2), 6.1 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 Ks
Kelli Hanson — 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER 0 BB, 0 Ks
Emily Bell — S (1), 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 Ks


Up Next
The Storm go to Coe on Sunday for a makeup doubleheader with the Kohawks. Start time is set for 1 p.m. in Cedar Rapids.

Game Notes
Madison Rasmusson saw her 15-game hitting streak come to a close in game one. Her season-average dipped to .474.
Ashley Allen plated her 16th double of the season in game one. She is now two shy of tying the school single-season record set by Tori Haag in 2014.
Emily Bell nears a season milestone as she recorded her 96th strikeout of the season in game one.