Heidelbauer makes history as Simpson powers past Loras

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Powered by six home runs, No. 10/11 Simpson outslugged Loras 11-3 and 12-2 to sweep the Duhawks on the road and improve to 26-5 on the year.

Simpson connected for three long balls in each game with Megan Heidelbauer hitting two and driving in five runs. With her second RBI of the day, Heidelbauer became the first Storm in program history to reach 150 RBIs in a career.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• Ashlyn Steen reached on an error to start the game, followed by Megan Heidelbauer giving the Storm a 2-0 lead with her fourth home run of the season.
• Brielyn Ginnaty added to lead later in the inning with an RBI single scoring Mackenzie James to cap off the three-run first inning.
• In the second, James broke open the game with a bases-clearing double to double the Storm's lead to six. Shaner drove in James and herself with her third home run of the season.
• The power display was not over as Addison Gookin extended Simpson's lead to 9-0 in the second with her fifth home run of the season.
• After loading the bases once again in the third, a walk to James, and an RBI fielder's choice from Shaner stretched the Storm's lead into double-digits at 11-0.
• Loras managed to score three in the fourth to cut the lead down to eight but were never able to get any closer as Simpson closed out the game in five innings.
• Marina Cronin earned her 11th win of the season, going all five innings, allowing the three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts.

GAME ONE LEADERS

Mackenzie James - 1-for-1, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 R
Megan Heidelbauer - 2-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
Katie Shaner - 1-for-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• Loras jumped out the early lead in the second game, scoring twice in the opening frame.
• Ginnaty jumpstarted the Storm offense in the second inning with a solo shot to right center, her team-leading sixth home run of the year.
• Heidelbauer put the Storm on top in the third with her second home run of the day, this time a two-run shot to right center, and Simpson never looked back.
• In the fourth, Simpson tacked on six runs starting with an RBI double from Steen, followed by Heidelbauer RBI single to left.
• James continued the momentum with an RBI single, then back-to-back RBI doubles from Gookin and Ginnaty stretched the lead to 9-2.
• James sealed the game with a three-run home run in the fifth to put Simpson up 12-2, capping off James' eight RBI day.
• Outside of the two-first inning runs, Emma LaFave shut down the Duhawks' bats, going five innings, giving up seven hits with zero walks, and five punchouts.

GAME TWO LEADERS

Mackenzie James - 3-for-4, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Megan Heidelbauer - 2-for-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB
Brielyn Ginnaty - 2-for-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 2B
Ashlyn Steen - 2-for-3, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 2B, 1 BB, 1 SB

UP NEXT

Simpson returns home for the final homestand of the regular season, starting with a doubleheader against Buena Vista on Tuesday, April 21 with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m.