Storm come up short in pitcher’s duel

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Nolan Arp drove in the go-ahead run on a double in the fourth inning, TJ Johnson threw four shutout innings to close the game and Coe beat the Simpson baseball team 2-1 Friday in the series opener.

Jordan Kaplan and Grant Henning had two hits apiece for the Kohawks (22-14, 14-6 Iowa Conference), who won their third game in a row.

Coe scored both of its runs in the fourth. Kaplan and Henning singled to load the bases before Jacob Burns drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly. Arp doubled off Tanner Jansen with two outs for a 2-1 lead.

Jansen (2-4) allowed two runs, seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts in seven strong innings. The sophomore has gone at least seven innings in four of his last five starts, lowering his ERA to 4.83.

Truman Schmitt drove in the first run of the game on a single in the second. Hunter Hillygus led off with a single, Trey Kehoe walked and Kolton Arnold grounded into a fielder's choice before Schmitt's single up the middle. Nathan Carlin grounded into a double play to end the frame.

Josh Gonzales (2-1) gave up one run, five hits and one walk with two strikeouts in five innings. Johnson allowed just two hits for his fifth save.

Hillygus and Kehoe had back-to-back, one-out singles in the fourth but the Storm offense couldn't generate a run. The duo finished with two hits apiece and Noah Sacco doubled for the Storm.

Top Offensive Performances
Trey Kehoe -- 2-3, BB
Hunter Hillygus -- 2-4, R
Truman Schmitt -- 1-3, RBI
Noah Sacco -- 1-4, 2B

Pitching Breakdown
Tanner Jansen -- 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 Ks
Colin Sexton -- 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Up Next
The season comes to a close Saturday when Simpson and Coe play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. from Bill Quinby Field.