Softball moves up to No. 13/20 in national rankings
INDIANOLA, Iowa - After winning five of six at home last week and improving to 28-4 on the season, the Simpson softball team was ranked 13th in the NCAA NPI Poll and 20th in the NFCA Coaches Poll.
New this season, the NPI is a computer model used to determine seeding and at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship tournament. The tournament will include 62 teams including 41 automatic Pool A bids, one Pool B bid and 20 at-large Pool C bids. At-large selections will be awarded to the 20 highest ranked teams, according to the NPI, remaining following the Pool A and B selections.
In the NPI Poll, the Storm were ranked 13th overall and second in the region to only Saint Mary's (Minn.). Simpson finished with an NPI score of 62.677 while Saint Mary's led with a 63.959. Simpson leads four A-R-C schools in the top-50 in Central (26), Wartburg (45) and Nebraska Wesleyan (47).
Simpson was also the highest-ranked team at 20th in the NFCA Coaches Poll from the American Rivers Conference with Central coming in at 22nd.
Overall on the year, Simpson sits atop many offensive categories in the conference. The Storm rank first in batting average (.358), home runs (42), RBIs (229), doubles (63), and runs scored (261). However, Simpson also features one of the top pitching staffs, ranking second in ERA (2.53), and opponent batting average (.256), while allowing the least amount of earned runs (73).
Leading the charge for Simpson has been junior first baseman Megan Heidelbauer. Heidelbauer has mashed her way to a .528/.585/1.120 slash line with 14 home runs and team single-season record 56 RBIs. She leads the country in RBIs, third in home runs, and ninth in hits (57). Newly named A-R-C Player of the Week Ashlyn Steen adds her 51 runs scored, which ranks second in the country, along with a .477 batting average, 5 home runs, 29 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.
Inside the circle, Kylee Tucker and Emma LaFave have combined for 17-1 on the season with Tucker sporting a 2.33 ERA over 54 frames. LaFave rounds out the pairing with a 3.20 ERA over 54.2 innings with a team-high 43 strikeouts.
Simpson returns to action today, Tuesday, April 22 with a road doubleheader against Luther starting at 2:00 p.m.
