Storm left to rue missed opportunities at Wartburg

WAVERLY, Iowa - The Simpson College softball team were unable to capitalize on multiple opportunities, dropping a pair of games on the road to Wartburg.

The Storm (24-8, 7-3 A-R-C) had the Knights (18-11, 6-2 A-R-C) down to their final out, but three straight base hits walked it off. Game two was more of a theme of leaving runners on base, despite solid offensive efforts from Alexis Ehlers and Caelynn Obleton.

GAME ONE: Wartburg 5, Simpson 4

• Wartburg took an early 2-0 lead that prompted head coach Brent Matthias to turn to Kylee Tucker out of the bullpen, who controlled the Wartburg bats over the next several innings.
• The Storm tied the game up in the fourth inning, starting with an RBI single from Maddie Luderman that scored Megan Heidelbauer.
• Mackenzie James tied the game at two with a sacrifice fly that drove in pinch runner Amanda Bauer.
• Simpson took the lead the next inning, with Ehlers hitting her third triple of the season to score Ashlyn Steen.
• Simpson added another run in the seventh inning, with Heidelbauer reaching on a fielder's choice that scored Obleton.
• However, the Knights put on the rally caps in the bottom half of the inning. Down to their final out, the Knights rattled off three straight base hits to walk the game off.

GAME ONE LEADERS

• Mackenzie James: 2-for-2, RBI, 2 2B
• Alexis Ehlers: 1-for-3, RBI, 3B, BB
• Maddie Luderman: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
• Caelynn Obleton: 1-for-3, 3B, run
• Kylee Tucker: 6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

GAME TWO: Wartburg 5, Simpson 0

• Game two was a theme of missed opportunities, with the Storm stranding multiple runners on base in each of the first four innings.
• Wartburg only left five on base throughout the game, compared to 12 from Simpson, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead.
• Ella Link gave the Knights some breathing room in the fifth, hitting a two-run home run, the first homer Storm pitcher Taryan Barrick-Wessels had given up all year.
• Wartburg tacked one on more in the sixth and dealt with the Storm offense in a more efficient manner in the last two innings to end the comeback attempt.

GAME TWO LEADERS

• Caelynn Obleton: 2-for-3, 2B
• Alexis Ehlers: 2-for-4, 2B
• Maddie Luderman: 1-for-3, BB
• Mackenzie James: 1-for-2, BB

NOTABLE

• Wartburg has now taken the lead in the all-time series, leading by a record of 45-44.
• Caelynn Obleton extended her hit streak to 17 straight games.
• The Storm recorded more hits (eight) in game two than in game one (seven), despite being held scoreless in game two.

RECORD WATCH

• With another RBI, Alexis Ehlers now has 39 on the year, six away of tying the single-season record for the Storm.
• Ehlers also now has 17 doubles on the year, just one away from tying the all-time mark.
• Maddie Luderman remains one home run away from tying the program's all-time record of 31.

UP NEXT
The Storm travel to Coe next Tuesday for another road doubleheader.