Storm play longball against Grinnell

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- Home runs from Ashley Allen and reigning American Rivers Conference Female Athlete and Softball Position Player of the Week, Megan Crockett, highlighted the Simpson softball team's two losses to Grinnell on Tuesday.

Allen connected on her second dinger of the year and eighth of her career, while Crockett drilled her eighth this year.

The Storm are now 18-16 overall, while the Pioneers are 13-19 after the non-conference bout.

Grinnell 9, Simpson 1 (6 innings)
It was all Grinnell from the third inning on. The visitors tallied two in the third, three in the fifth and four in the ninth to put the run rule into play.

Simpson was down to its last two outs before Crockett put a charge into the ball that ricocheted off the scoreboard to erase the zero in the scoring column. She is now tied for first in the conference with eight homers.

The Storm collected three hits as team, Arianna Kim had a triple and Sara Trent accounted for the other hit.

Emily Bell is now 10-5 after tossing 5.2 innings and had four strikeouts to her credit.

Grinnell 6, Simpson 2
Grinnell remained hot on offense and tallied a run in the opening frame, but Simpson did not wait long to tie it as Amron Born stole second that forced a throw, which allowed Trent to steal home to tie it at 1-1 in the second.

Coming out of the second inning, the Pioneers placed a five spot in the scoreboard in the third to break it open once again.

Allen answered with the home run in the third, but both teams were held scoreless the rest of the way.

Camrey Leo had a pinch hit double that was smoked to the left field wall in the seventh to give the team some life.

Up Next
The Storm step away from the Simpson Softball Complex for a few hours before ninth-ranked Coe arrives on Wednesday for a doubleheader. First pitch is at 2 p.m.