Storm drop pair of one-run contests at Luther

DECORAH, Iowa -- The Simpson baseball team battled back from deficits in both games of Friday's doubleheader but came up short each time, losing to Luther 3-2 in game one before seeing a furious ninth-inning rally fall short in a 9-8 setback in game two.

The Storm fall to 2-14 overall and 1-4 in the Iowa Conference while the Norse improve to 13-4 and 3-2 in league play. 

The teams will conclude their three-game set Saturday at Luther Baseball Park. Start time is set for Noon. 

Game One

Luther 3, Simpson 2

How It Happened
• Bryce Hingst brought in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to make a winner out of Colin Coffey, who tossed a complete-game two-hitter to improve to 3-0 on the season. 

• Jared Herzog broke up Coffey's no-hitter with a leadoff double in the fourth, eventually scoring on a passed ball. Hunter Hillygus came around to score on a groundout by Truman Schmitt as the Storm tied the game 2-2. 

• The Norse got on the board in the third on a sacrifrice fly from Trent Athman and an RBI double by Derek McCready. Both runs were unearned after Jake Vogt reached on an error to start the inning. Simpson committed three errors on the game.

Top Offensive Performances
Jared Herzog — 1-3, 2B, R
Noah Sacco — 1-4
Truman Schmitt — 0-3, RBI

Pitching Breakdown
Cameron Liston — L (0-1), 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 Ks
J Lowery — 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 Ks
Colin Sexton — 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Game Two

Luther 9, Simpson 8

How It Happened
• The Storm trailed 9-2 going into the final at-bat but scored six runs in the inning to pull within one. The rally ended when Ross Hingst struck out Nathan Carlin with the bases loaded.

• Held to just two hits in the first seven innings, Simpson's bats came alive with eight runs and eight hits in the final two frames.

• Noah Sacco got the scoring started with a two-RBI single in the eighth, adding a sacrifice fly in the ninth for a team-high three RBIs. Jared Herzog brought in two on a bases-loaded single, and Hunter Hillygus, Truman Schmitt and Trey Kehoe added RBI singles get the Storm within a run.

• Despite Simpson's lack of offense early, the game remained close until Jake Vogt broke open Luther's lead with a two-RBI single in the sixth to make it 5-0. Jared Swanson had a two-RBI single as part of a three-run seventh that extended the lead to 8-0. 

• Errors and missed opportunities hurt the Storm for the second game in a row. Luther scored five unearned runs as a result of three Simpson errors and the Storm failed to score after loading the bases with no outs in the sixth.

Top Offensive Performances
Jared Herzog — 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI
Trey Kehoe — 2-3, R, RBI
Alec Hensley — 2-3, 2 R
Noah Sacco — 1-4, 3 RBIs

Pitching Breakdown
Trey Kehoe — L (0-3), 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB 0 Ks
Devon Veach — 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Jonathan Sailstad — 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 Ks
Michael Sunga — 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K