Gibson’s walk-off single clinches series win over Duhawks

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Freshman Bryson Gibson hit a walk-off single in Saturday's first game to help the Simpson College baseball team clinch its second-straight American Rivers Conference series win.

Gibson's hit to left center brought two runners around to score with one out in the bottom of the ninth as Simpson (13-17, 6-9 A-R-C) emerged victorious in walk-off fashion, 5-4. The victory gave the Storm back-to-back series wins after completing the season sweep of Nebraska Wesleyan this past Tuesday.

Loras (18-9, 7-4 A-R-C) won the weekend finale 8-2 fueled by a 4-for-4 effort at the plate by Daniel Rogers, who drove in five of the visitor's eight runs with a pair of doubles and a triple.

GAME ONE BREAKDOWN

• Loras put up one run in the first and second before Dalton Ferrin's infield single brought home the Storm's first run of the day in the bottom of the third.
• The Duhawks went back in front by two in the sixth, but the lead was short-lived as Simpson knotted things up thanks to RBIs from Nate Cagley and Will Carlock.
• Simpson got out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh but surrendered a home run to Jack Carney the next frame as the Duhawks took a 4-3 lead.
• Zach Fuller led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and the Storm had two runners onboard after a miscue by the Duhawk defense on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Bryson Gibson then stepped up to the plate as a pinch hitter and lined a hit into the left center gap which brought both runners home for the walk-off win.

GAME ONE LEADERS

• Zach Fuller: 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk
• Bryson Gibson: 1 hit, 2 RBI
• Nate Cagley: 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 walk
• Alex Foster: 4.2 IP, 1 run, 2 hits, 6 strikeouts
• Charlie Thomas: 3.0 IP, 1 run, 4 hits, 1 walk

GAME TWO BREAKDOWN

• The Duhawks struck first in the second game as well, using a double from Daniel Rogers to claim a 1-0 advantage.
• Simpson responded with one run in the second. Drew Carlson led off the frame with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Sam Campin's base hit through the left side.
• Loras scored three over the next two innings and added another trio of runs in the sixth after Simpson got one back via a balk in the bottom of the fifth.
• Rogers capped off a 4-for-4 game with a ground-rule double in the eighth that plated Loras' final run of the day, his fifth RBI.

GAME TWO LEADERS

• Sam Campin: 3 hits, 1 RBI, 1 run
• Nate Cagley: 2 hits, 1 walk
• Drew Carlson: 1 hit (1 double), 1 run

NOTES

• Simpson claims its first series win over the Duhawks since 2014 when the Storm won three of four regular season games. 
• The Storm improve to 7-4 at McBride Field in 2024. 

UP NEXT
The Storm close out their 2024 home schedule with a three-game set against Central next weekend.