Spartans Softball Open IIAC Tourney with Victory
May 1, 2015
Univ. of Dubuque 7, Simpson College 3 (May 01, 2015 at Decorah, Iowa)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Univ. of Dubuque.... 000 030 4 - 7 8 0 (15-26)
Simpson College..... 010 100 1 - 3 8 4 (29-10)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Univ. of Dubuque - Hannah Koerperich; Megan Loes(4) and Courtney Markin.
Simpson College - Fisher; VanVleet(7) and Haag.
Win-Megan Loes(4-7) Loss-Fisher(13-5) T-2:00 A-156
HR DBQSB - Courtney Markin.
Koerperich faced 2 batters in the 4th.
DECORAH, Iowa - The University of Dubuque softball team opened the IIAC Softball Tournament with a 7-3 victory over the #3 Simpson College Storm on Friday afternoon. The Storm were ranked #2 in the Midwest Region of the NCAA National Softball Rankings released on April 30. The Spartans opponents don't get any easier in the semifinal round where they will play the #2-seed, the Central College Dutch, on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The Dutch are ranked #3 in the Midwest Region of the NCAA National Softball Rankings.
Megan Loes earned the victory after her teammates scored three runs in the fifth and four runs at the top of the seventh. The Spartans took advantage of a Storm pitching change in the fifth with two outs. UD's offense began with Meggie Schmidt who singled to center field. Andrea Smith was hit by pitch; Schmidt advanced to second. Rebecca Diffenderfer pinch ran for Smith. Carlee Grunder singled, advanced to second on an error by center field, RBI; Diffenderfer advanced to third; Schmidt scored. Ainsley Billesbach tripled to right field, scoring a pair of RBI's as both Grunder and Diffenderfer scored. Gerace grounded out to ss, but not after the Spartans scored three runs on three hits and left one runner on base.
With a 3-2 lead to enter the seventh inning, UD broke the game open after scoring four runs off two hits. Diffenderfer struck out. Grunder was hit by a pitch. Billesbach was hit by pitch and Grunder advanced to second. Kelli Gerace singled, advanced to second on an error by centerfield and advanced to third, RBI; Billesbach scored, unearned; and Grunder scored. Courtney Markin homered to left field and earned two RBI's as Gerace scored. Tori Woltz popped up to first base and Gianna Kuras flied out to right field to end the inning.
UD scored seven runs on eight hits and stranded seven runners on base in the win.
