Storm lock up league playoff spot with Senior Day sweep

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Jacob Roberts had a massive day at the plate, Eli Feekin and Easton Dunwoody turned in deep outings on the mound, and the Simpson College baseball team rattled off two wins over Dubuque to clinch a spot in the American Rivers Conference Tournament starting next week.

Simpson (17-21, 11-13 A-R-C) broke open the first game with a five-run fifth and three-run seventh, taking a lead as large as six before winning 9-5. With postseason on the line for both teams, the Storm locked in for game two and topped the Spartans (19-20, 10-14 A-R-C) 8-3 to complete the sweep and secure a spot in the league playoffs.

Roberts ended an exceptional day 5-for-7 with two walks, three RBIs, three stolen bases, and three runs scored. Five others drove in multiple runs, while Feekin and Dunwoody combined for 16 strikeouts to lead the Storm pitching staff.

GAME ONE SUMMARY

• The Spartans were the first to score, using an RBI single from Cameron Pratt for a 1-0 lead in the opening frame.
• In the home half of the second, Nate Cagley hit a leadoff double before advancing to third and home on back-to-back groundouts.
• JD Schaffer restored Dubuque's lead with a two-run home run in the fourth, but Simpson went ahead for good with a big fifth inning. The Storm plated five runs on four hits and two Spartan errors.
• Simpson added three more runs two frames later to widen the advantage to six. Matthew Florence doubled in a run and later scored on a groundout, while Jacob Roberts ripped a single down the right field line to bring home pinch runner Tyson McAlexander.
• Dubuque trimmed the deficit with two runs in the eighth, but Dylan Schlee closed the door in relief of Eli Feekin, who put together a strong start with seven strikeouts in just over seven innings.

GAME ONE LEADERS

• Jacob Roberts: 2 hits, 3 RBI, 1 walk
• Matthew Florence: 1 hit, 2 RBI, 2 runs
• Bryson Gibson: 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 run
• Ian Baldwin: 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 run
• Eli Feekin: 7.1 IP, 7 strikeouts

GAME TWO SUMMARY

• The Spartans once again claimed an early 1-0 edge in the first thanks to Cameron Pratt, who singled to left with the bases loaded.
• Kasey Carter led off the bottom of the third with his first home run in Simpson uniform, igniting a three-run inning that put the home team in front by two.
• The Storm added insurance in the fifth when Jacob Roberts crossed the plate on a wild pitch, and again in the sixth as Will Carlock tripled and scored on a Bryson Gibson single.
• Simpson broke things open in the seventh, capitalizing on two bases-loaded walks and another wild pitch to extend the lead to 8-1.
• The Spartans tried to mount a ninth-inning comeback, loading the bases with just one out. They pushed two runs across before Charley Mershon induced a fly out and a strikeout for the victory.

GAME TWO LEADERS

• Jacob Roberts: 3 hits, 1 triple, 1 walk, 3 runs, 3 stolen bases
• Bryson Gibson: 2 hits, 1 RBI, 1 walk
• Drew Carlson: 1 hit, 1 RBI, 2 runs
• Nate Cagley: 1 walk, 2 RBI
• Easton Dunwoody: 6.2 IP, 9 strikeouts, 1 run

SENIOR RECOGNITION
The Storm recognized nine seniors prior to the doubleheader: Will Carlock, Trey Castile, Dante Dolash, Zach Dueker, Eli Feekin, Levi Herrick, Mitchell Roeder, Sam Vanderpool, and Andrew Weig.

NOTES

• Simpson finishes the season fifth in A-R-C standings, the Storm's highest placement under head coach Nathan Roling as well as the program's best seeding in the tournament since 2014.
• The Storm earned league series wins over Luther, Loras, Central and Dubuque. This was Simpson's first series win over Dubuque since 2015.

UP NEXT
Fifth-seeded Simpson will face fourth-seeded Wartburg in the first round of the A-R-C Tournament on Thursday. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.