Simpson offense runs out of juice in loss to Coe

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Simpson advanced to the final day of the Iowa Conference Baseball Tournament thanks to an offense that scored a combined 26 runs in three games.

Unfortunately, that trend didn't continue on Saturday.

Tyler Craig drove in the only run of the game for Simpson and Coe scored three runs in the fourth on the way to a 6-1 win at a windy Veterans Memorial Stadium.

With the win, the second-seeded Kohawks (28-13) advance to the first championship game against top-seeded Wartburg, while the season comes to a close for the fifth-seeded Storm (18-23).

Simpson had eight hits, but couldn't put together the big inning that seemed to occur with regularity in the first three games of the tournament. The Storm stranded 10 runners on the day and failed to score in the fourth after loading the bases with one out.

Simpson finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

JD Hunter went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Connor Alberhasky (5-3) allowed one run and struck out five in the complete game effort for Coe.

Leading 1-0 in the fourth, Coe extended its lead to 4-0 when Hunter, Michael Redmond and Ben Larison drove in runs with the bases loaded. Hunter and Redmond recorded infield hits and Larison drove in Michael Goerdt on a fielder's choice.

Simpson responded with a run in the top of the fifth when Craig doubled home Jake Barr, who led off with a single. But Simpson came up with only two hits the rest of the way.

Craig and Barr finished with two hits apiece to lead the Storm. Jose Rodriguez (2-6) allowed four runs off five hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Notes: Tyler Crandell finished his career with 179 hits, just three shy of the school record of 182 set by Dave Johnson (2008-11) … Simpson advanced to the last day of the tournament for the third time in four years.