Heitmeier's walk-off helps Storm split with Luther

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Blake Heitmeier's walk-off single in game two of Saturday's doubleheader gave Simpson a 2-1 win over Luther, salvaging a doubleheader split on a day when runs were hard to come by.

The Storm (11-9, 5-1 Iowa Conference) took 2 of 3 in the weekend series with Luther, winning 8-5 Friday night before dropping Saturday's opener 4-2. Simpson remains atop the league standings after Saturday's results, tied with Central.

Game 1: Luther 4, Simpson 2
The Norse (8-9, 1-2) pushed three runs across on starter Kyle Ruehle in the first inning and never looked back en-route to a 4-2 win.

After retiring the first two batters of the game, Ruehle walked Matt Larson before a triple by Ryan Bahnemann sparked a string of four straight hits.

Simpson pulled within a run after an RBI double by Tyler Craig in the third and a run-scoring single by Michael Chia in the fifth, but reliever Danny Smith closed the door in the final two innings for the save.

The Storm managed only three hits in the game.

Ruehle (2-2) went 6 1/3 in the loss, allowing four runs – all earned – and striking out six. Matt Reynolds (2-2) went five innings and gave up two hits in the win.

Game 2: Simpson 2, Luther 1 (8)
Without a hit since March 8 and after going 0-for-1 in the opener, Heitmeier answered the call as a pinch-hitter with two outs and a runner on second in the bottom of the eighth inning. The junior sent reliever Danny Smith's fastball through the middle of the infield, allowing Tyler Pawletzki to score the game-winner.

A pitcher's duel between Chris Dorff and Luther's Alex Byom, Simpson broke a scoreless tie when Craig singled home Tyler Crandell in the third. Thomas Weber answered with a safety squeeze for the Norse in the fifth forcing the extra frame.

Dorff (2-3) went the distance, allowing one run off five hits to go along with five strikeouts. Byom gave up a run off five hits in six innings while Smith (1-1) went 1 2/3 in the loss.

The Storm face a stretch of four games in five days next week, going to Central for a single game on April 3 and to Coe for a three-game weekend set beginning April 6.

Notes: Simpson's game-two win improves its record when scoring first to 10-1 … Dorff's five strikeouts improve his career total to 168, tied for fifth all-time with Adam Lueder (1998-01) … the game-two start gave marked Dorff's 60th career appearance, tying Jake Ritchey (2005-08) for the most in school history.