Ginnaty's extra inning walk off sends Simpson to the Women's College World Series Semifinal

SALEM, Va. - Late-inning dramatics and heart-stopping action has been the theme for Simpson all NCAA Tournament and that did not change in an elimination game against Linfield on Saturday. The Storm rallied back on an extra-inning walk-off single from Brielyn Ginnaty and advanced to the Women's College World Series semifinal.

Simpson (41-7) pushed Linfield (43-8) within one strike of elimination before the Wildcats tied up the ballgame with a three-run home run, sending the game into extras. The Storm posted a clean top of the eighth, setting the stage for another heart-pounding finish.

With the bases-loaded and two outs, Ginnaty, who was 0-for-4 on the day at that point, changed everything with one swing of the bat. The righty punched a 2-2 pitch into left, dropping just out of the reach of a diving defender for a game-winning single and putting the Storm within one step of returning to the WCWS finals for the first time since 1999.

Simpson advances once again in the bracket to face fifth-seeded Redlands in the semifinals. The Storm will need to win twice tomorrow against the Redlands to reach the finals. Redlands sits at 2-0 in the tournament with an opening round win over Linfield, followed by a win over Rowan.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Linfield got on the board first in the second inning, driving in a pair of runs on a shot down the left field line.
• Simpson responded with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame, starting with a double steal that allowed Katie Shaner to come home. Makayla Fowler delivered a clutch two-out single to right to bring home Addison Gookin to tie up the ballgame.
• Linfield added one back in the third to regain the lead but Storm small ball and a sac-fly from Shaner knotted up the score at 3-3 in the bottom half of the inning.
• Simpson continued the momentum rolling in the fourth after Ortlund doubled and Fowler singled once again to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Ashlyn Steen capitalized on the opportunity, driving a ball up the middle and putting the Storm on top for the first time at 4-3.
• Megan Heidelbauer gave Simpson some needed insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, hammering a ball to dead center for a two-run shot to make it a 6-3 score.
• The Storm ended up needing the extra runs as Linfield, down to its final strike, tied up the ballgame with a three-run home run just over the left field wall. Linfield allowed one hit in the bottom of the seventh but forced the game into extras.
• After Simpson stranded runners on the corners in the top of the eighth, the top of the order led off in the final frame.
• Steen kicked off the rally with a single to left center, followed by a fly-out and a Mackenzie James single. Shaner walked to load the bases but a strikeout set the stage for Ginnaty. With two outs, Ginnaty lofted a 2-2 ball into left field that died just inches in front of a diving defender, landing for a walk-off single to put the Storm within two wins of reaching the WCWS final.

GAME LEADERS

Megan Heidelbauer - 2-for-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Makayla Fowler - 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 CS
Brielyn Ginnaty - 1-for-5, 1 GW RBI
Ashlyn Steen - 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI

UP NEXT

Simpson advances to the Women's College World Series semifinals with a date against Redlands tomorrow, Sunday, May 31 with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m. CT. Should the Storm win the opener, the two teams will square off again in a win-or-go-home game for the WCWS finals at 3 p.m. CT.

POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE