Softball ranked No. 19/21 in national polls

INDIANOLA, Iowa - In the latest round of national polls, the Storm softball team ranked 19th in the NCAA NPI and 21st in the NFCA Coaches Poll on Tuesday.

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.

Simpson held on as the second ranked team in the region in the NPI ranking, coming in just behind Saint Mary's (Minn.) who sits at 11. The Storm lead the pack of four A-R-C schools who ranked in the top-50 including Central (33), Wartburg (47), and Nebraska Wesleyan (49).

For the Storm, it marked the third straight week of being ranked in the top-25 for both polls.

On the year, Simpson is led by first baseman Megan Heidelbauer, who enters the week with a .520/.574/1.056 slash line with 15 home runs, and 62 RBIs. Ashlyn Steen and Alexis Ehlers make up the top of the order that has proven to be one of the most lethal 1-2-3 top of the orders in all of the country this season. The trio have produced a combined 28 home runs, 123 RBIs, 134 runs scored, and 68 extra base hits.

Inside the circle, Emma LaFave has commanded the top spot in the rotation with a 10-1 record over 16 games with 70.2 innings pitched, and a team-high 56 strikeouts. Kylee Tucker, Marina Cronin, and Alyssa Breckner have combined to create one of the top pitching staffs in the conference, sporting a team ERA of 2.55, second best in the league.

Simpson sits at 30-6 overall on the season, and 11-5 in conference action with just one final regular season game left on the schedule. The Storm travel to Cornell this upcoming Sunday, May 4 for the season-finale at 1:00 p.m.