Simpson closes season in A-R-C Tournament

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Simpson College softball squad dropped a pair of games in the American Rivers Conference Tournament to end its season Thursday. The Storm lost 5-3 to Luther in the opener and 3-1 to the host, Coe.

Liv Erickson led the way with four hits over the two contests and Olivia Allen sprinkled two across the diamond for the Storm (16-18).

Game One: Luther 5, Simpson 3
The Storm tallied two hits through the first two and a half innings before the Norse erupted for six hits in the third to grab a 4-0 lead. After a quick out started the third, the next five batters tallied a hit, including a three-run home run and an RBI single.

Simpson waited until the sixth to plate a trio of runners. Karlie Hill and Erickson had back-to-back singles to begin the frame and Randie Richmond capitalized on the early momentum to drive in Erickson on a single. Sara Trent tallied a sacrifice fly and Brooke Tucker drove in a run.

Luther added an insurance run in the sixth and then shut the door on a Storm comeback by working a one-two-three final inning.

Emily Bell recorded four strikeouts in 3.2 innings of relief work to keep Simpson within reach.

Game Two: Coe 3, Simpson 1
The top-seeded Kohawks waited until the second inning to plate a run. Megan Weber drove one over the fence for an early lead.

Erickson just missed her first career homer with a double that reached the bottom of the fence to score Camrey Leo in the third.

Coe regained the lead with an RBI double in the fifth and clubbed another home run in the sixth.

The Kohawks advance to Friday's round to take on the loser of the Luther versus Buena Vista game.