Storm hold off Pioneers in game one of doubleheader

INDIANOLA, Iowa - The Simpson College softball team took game one against Grinnell, but saw a comeback attempt in game two fall just shy in doubleheader action, Wednesday, at the Simpson Softball Complex.

The Storm (18-6, 1-1 A-R-C) came into the day receiving votes in the NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll, and were led by Alexis Ehlers, who recorded a hit in all seven of her plate appearances, including two home runs. Maddie Luderman, Karlie Hill, and Cameron Martin also all hit home runs on the day, but the Pioneers (14-8, 4-0 MWC) held on for a win in game two. Luderman also smacked her 100th career hit on the day as a Simpson player. 

Game One: Simpson 3, Grinnell 2

The Pioneers opened the scoring with a solo home run by Taylor Durak, the team's star hitter. Starting pitcher Taryan Barrick-Wessels then had to get out of a bases-loaded jam after it, keeping the game at 1-0.

Barrick-Wessels got another huge out in the top of the fourth, striking out a Pioneers batter with two outs after Grinnell had runners on second and third. The Storm offense finally got going in the bottom half of the inning, with Martin delivering a deep sacrifice fly that scored Luderman to tie the game. Ehlers was the next batter, stepping up and smashing a shot to center field, breaking the tie with a two-run blast.

The Storm had runners on the corners with one out in the next inning, but could not capitalize on it, keeping the Pioneers alive as the game breezed through the sixth inning to the top of the seventh. Barrick-Wessels started with a strikeout, but three straight singles from the Pioneers made the game 3-2 and left runners on the corners with one out. Makayla Bryant was tasked with coming to try and salvage the game for the Storm, getting a huge strikeout for the second out. Bryant then got the next batter to ground out to Ehlers, preserving the win for Simpson.

Ehlers went three-for-three in game one, including her game-winning home run. The Storm were outhit by the Pioneers, 9-7, but only left three on base, compared to 11 for the Pioneers.

Game Two: Grinnell 10, Simpson 8

The Pioneers also scored the first runs of game two, plating three in the top of the first, with the Storm responding with a solo home run from Martin, her third in the last 24 hours.

Grinnell put up a huge number in the top of the third, with the first five batters reaching before the Storm recorded an out. A single made it 4-1, before the Pioneers smashed a grand slam to left field to make the game 8-1. Grinnell added another run before the Storm finally got out of the inning.

The Storm showed resilience immediately after in the bottom of the third, with Kate Kriegel leading off with a single to center field on the first pitch. Luderman was next up and also smacked a first-pitch hit, hers being a shot to dead center, bringing the deficit to 9-3. The Storm hitters liked what they saw on the first pitch, as Hill hit a home run to left field, cutting the score to 9-4.

Kylee Tucker, the third pitcher in the game for the Storm, brought some normalcy to the Storm defense, sitting the Pioneers down in 1-2-3 fashion in back-to-back innings in the top of the fourth and fifth. Luderman doubled in the bottom of the fourth to score Ashlyn Steen, making the score 9-5 as the Storm crept closer.

The Storm continued to threaten, loading the bases with 0 outs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Pioneers got two force outs at home, followed by a great catch in shallow left field by the Grinnell shortstop, as the Pioneers escaped unscathed.

The bottom of the sixth started with singles by Luderman and Hill and after an out by the Pioneers, Ehlers hit her second home run of the day, putting the Storm down just one run, 9-8, as the game headed into the top of the seventh.

The Pioneers answered in the top of the seventh, with their first three batters singling to extend the lead back to 10-8. Laurel Stice came in the game for the Storm to pitch, getting the next batter to fly out. Additionally, the runner on third left early, allowing the Storm to pull off the double play. Stice struck out Durak to give the Storm a fighting chance, but the Pioneers held off the Storm in the bottom of the seventh.

Ehlers led the Storm with her monster day of seven hits, six RBIs, and two home runs. Luderman had five hits and four RBIs, now giving the senior 35 RBIs on the year, leading the conference and putting her on track to break the single-season record. The Storm pitching staff struck out 11 batters over the two games, with Barrick-Wessels leading the team with five punchouts.

Up Next

The Storm welcome nationally ranked Coe into Indianola on Saturday in doubleheader action beginning at 1 p.m.