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Softball Swept by Storm in League Play

Apr 21, 2015

BOX SCORE GAME #1

Score by Innings R H E
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Simpson College..... 000 203 3 - 8 10 0
Dubuque, Univ. of... 010 010 1 - 3 9 0

BOX SCORE GAME #2

Simpson College 7, Univ. of Dubuque 5 (Apr 21, 2015 at Dubuque, Iowa) (Game 2)
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Simpson College..... 060 000 1 -  7 12  1      (28-8, 7-5 IIAC)
Univ. of Dubuque.... 001 000 4 -  5 10  0      (14-22, 5-7 IIAC)
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Pitchers: Simpson College - Ernst; VanVleet(8) and Haag. Univ. of Dubuque - Amanda Williams;
Hannah Koerperich(2) and Courtney Markin.
Win-Ernst(4-1)  Loss-Amanda Williams(3-8)  T-2:10  A-311
Weather: cloudy, cool 47
VanVleet faced 2 batters in the 7th.


DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque softball needed a sweep of the Simpson College Storm on Tuesday to clinch an IIAC Tournament berth. Unfortunately it was the Storm who blew into Dubuque and clinched after winning game one by an 8-3 score and sneaking out with a game two 7-5 victory when the Spartans left the bases loaded in the bottom of seventh inning.

UD would strand 12 batters on base in the first game and six in the nightcap. It was a breezy afternoon on Senior Day which saw the Spartans Megan Loes stop and reset on the pitching mound after gusts upset her delivery in the opening loss. The Storm capitalized on the gusts and scored six RBI's off three homeruns in the first contest.

The Spartans scored three runs off nine hits, a quartet of Spartans finished game one with two hits. Meggie Schmidt, Carlee Grunder, Ainsley Billesbach, and freshman Courtney Markin all finished with two hits each. Schmidt would collect the Spartans only double. Loes took the loss after throwing 6.1 innings and striking out four. 

In the second game both teams found their offenses with Simpson scoring seven runs in 12 hits while the Spartans scored five runs on 10 hits. Amanda Williams took the loss after starting game two, Hannah Koerperich came in for relief and gave up just one earned run in 5.1 innings of work with three strike outs. UD trailed 7-1 before a big seventh inning would make the game interesting.

Markin doubled to left center. Kuras singled to the pitcher. Schlueter pinch hit for Gerace. Gianna Kuras advanced to second; Markin advanced to third on a passed ball. Megan Schlueter struck out looking. Tori Woltz struck out looking. Koerperich doubled to center field, 2 RBI; Kuras scored; Markin scored. Schmidt singled to left field; Koerperich advanced to third. Then the Storm switched pitchers from VanVleet to starter Ernst. Kendall Huemann walked; Schmidt advanced to second. Grunder singled to right center, 2 RBI; Huemann advanced to second; Schmidt scored; Koerperich scored. The Storm's Ernst returned to pitch for VanVleet. Billesbach singled through the left side; Grunder advanced to second; Huemann advanced to third. Markin flied out to rf. The Spartans fell short scoring four runs off six hits and stranded basees loaded. Schmidt led the seniors in game two with 3-4 at bats.

UD dropped from a tie for third into a game out of fourth place after the sweep at home. The Spartans will play Cornell College on Wednesday, April 22 before facing top-ranked Luther College (32-2 overall, 10-0 in IIAC) in their final regular season Iowa Conference games on Saturday, April 25 in Decorah.