Softball improves to 9-1 after pair of wins on Wednesday

CLERMONT, Fla. - After picking up another pair of wins on Wednesday over Southern Maine, 5-1, followed by Hamline, 7-4, the Storm improved to 9-1 on the season.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• Southern Maine jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning off a passed ball from the Storm.
• Simpson responded right back in the bottom half of the third with a solo shot from Heidelbauer to tie the game up at 1-1.
• The Storm broke open the game in the fourth with a three run inning. Gookin started the rally with an RBI single to right, followed by a catcher's interference that allowed her to score later in the inning.
• Then a bases-loaded walk to Heidelbauer closed out the scoring for the Storm in the fourth.
• Steen provided one final insurance run in the sixth on an RBI groundout, scoring Obleton to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
• Breckner picked up the win after going the distance, allowing just one run, zero earned, on five hits with five strikeouts over the seven innings.

GAME ONE LEADERS

Megan Heidelbauer - 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB
Addison Gookin - 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
Alyssa Breckner - 7 IP, W, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• Simpson quickly put the pressure on Hamline in the second game, opening up with three runs in the first, highlighted by a lead-off home run by Steen. Later in the inning, a double-steal allowed Ehlers to score before an RBI triple from Shaner scored James to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
• Heidelbauer continued her hot streak at the plate, this time an RBI double to center, scoring Obleton and putting Simpson up 4-0 in the second.
• Hamline collected two runs in the third to cut the lead in half; however, Simpson responded right back, getting one back on a sac fly from Kriegel in the fourth.
• In the fifth, Simpson used another double-steal to swipe a run, and later in the inning, scored another run after a stolen base and a throwing error allowed Bauer to score from third.
• Hamline added two more runs in the fifth but were shutout the rest of way, leading to a Storm 7-4 victory.
• Cronin got the start inside the circle, going three innings, allowing three hits, two runs, both unearned. Franklin came in and got the win after pitching three innings on three hits, two runs, one earned, with one strikeout. Tucker closed out the game in the seventh for her first save of the season.

GAME TWO LEADERS

Megan Heidelbauer - 3-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B
Katie Shaner - 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B
Ashlyn Steen - 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Sierra Franklin - 3 IP, W, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 K

UP NEXT

Simpson returns to action tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, March 20, beginning with Fredonia at 3:00 p.m. CDT.