Hard-hitting Dubuque takes two from Storm

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- The Simpson baseball team couldn't make an early lead stand up in game one and dug an early hole in game two, falling to Dubuque 14-7 and 14-4 in an Iowa Conference doubleheader Thursday evening at McBride Field.

The Storm fall to 3-22 overall and 2-12 in the IIAC while the Spartans improve to 11-11 and 7-2 in the IIAC. The third game of the series has not been set, though a decision is expected sometime Friday.

Game One

Dubuque 14, Simpson 7

Tanner Jansen had another solid start on the mound and Simpson built a 5-0 lead in the first five innings but Dubuque rallied, outscoring the Storm 14-2 in the final four frames. Dubuque took advantage of Simpson miscues, scoring nine unearned runs off five errors.

Will Doherty hit a two-run homer as part of a three-run sixth inning that sparked the Spartans, who had been held in check by Jansen. Following a 1-2-3 seventh, Dubuque scored four in the eighth to take a 6-5 lead.

Kolton Arnold hit a sacrifice fly to tie it in the eighth but the Spartans scored eight in the ninth to seal the win.

Simpson got on the board in the second when Truman Schmitt doubled in Hunter Hillygus and later scored on a balk. Hillygus drove in two on a double in the third, part of a 4-for-5 day at the plate for the senior. Alec Hensley scored from third on Scott Meier's delayed steal to give Simpson a 5-0 lead after five.

Top Offensive Performances
Hunter Hillygus — 4-5, 2B, 3 RBIs
Noah Sacco — 3-5, 2 2B, 2 R

Pitching Breakdown
Tanner Jansen — 7.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 Ks
Colin Sexton — L (0-5), 1.2 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 Ks
Devon Veach — 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 Ks

Game Two

Dubuque 14, Simpson 4

Dalton Garst and Tyler Lewan homered in the first two innings as Dubuque got out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back. Doug Van Dyke cruised to the win, fanning eight without allowing a walk in eight innings.

Trey Kehoe settled down after getting roughed up early and helped his own cause with a two-run homer to right in the second to make it 6-2. The Storm couldn't get any closer, though, giving up six runs in the final three innings. Garst finished with three hits and three RBIs as the Spartans pounded out 20 hits.

Schmitt hit his team-leading third home run to lead off the seventh but Simpson managed just one hit after that.

Top Offensive Performances
Trey Kehoe — 2-3, HR, 2B, 2 RBIs
Truman Schmitt — 1-4, HR, RBI

Pitching Breakdown
Trey Kehoe — L (0-4), 6.0 IP, 8 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Michael Sunga — 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Devon Veach — 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 Ks
Ethan Coble — 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Game Notes
• Jansen went seven strong innings for the second straight start. In those starts he has a 2.57 ERA with nine strikeouts and two walks.
• The game two home runs by Kehoe and Schmitt gave the Storm their first multi-homer game of the season and first since hitting three against Bethany Lutheran on March 9, 2017, a streak of 53 games.
• Kehoe's homer in game two marked the first of his career.
• Hillygus' four hits in game one tied a career high set on March 7, 2017 against North Central and matched on April 14, 2017 against Luther. He is just seven hits shy of 100 for his career.