INDIANOLA, Iowa — Nebraska Wesleyan softball dropped a pair of American Rivers Conference games to No. 11 Simpson on Saturday (Apr. 25) in Indianola. The Storm took the opener 4-0, then shut out the Prairie Wolves again in game two by the same 4-0 score. The losses drop NWU to 14-21 overall and 5-9 in the A-R-C. For Simpson, the wins improve the Storm to 30-5 on the season and 13-3 in conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: Simpson 4, Nebraska Wesleyan 0
In game one, the Prairie Wolves simply could not get their bats going against Simpson's Emma LaFave.
Kenzie Heedum and
Stella Campin each had singles for Nebraska Wesleyan's only two hits, with Campin reaching in the fourth inning to set up the Prairie Wolves' best threat. Campin was lifted for a pinch runner and the frame ended without a run.
LaFave went the complete game, holding NWU scoreless on two hits across seven innings. On the other side of the circle,
Eva Fahrnbruch (11-10) gave Nebraska Wesleyan a solid outing despite the loss, working all six innings and allowing four runs on six hits.
Simpson struck first in the bottom of the first when Ashlyn Steen scored on a Mackenzie James sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. The Storm then broke the game open with two runs in the third. Steen launched a solo home run to right field, and Addison Gookin followed with a run-scoring single to center, before adding an unearned run in the fourth on a Brynn Ortlund bunt hit and a throwing error to extend the lead to 4-0.
NWU's closest shot at getting on the board came in the sixth inning, when
Catie Ingalls walked and
Jenna Kimberling was hit by pitch to put runners on first and second with one out, but pinch hitter
Kylie Fullerton grounded into a double play to end the threat.
Game 2: Simpson 4, Nebraska Wesleyan 0
In game two, the Prairie Wolves put together more hits, five in all, but could not push a run across against a dominant Marina Cronin, who threw a complete-game shutout, striking out six and walking none.
Nebraska Wesleyan's best chance came in the third inning.
Ella Wolff singled to lead off and moved to third on a
Paige Comstock sacrifice bunt.
Kenzie Heedum then dropped a bunt single to third and swiped second to load up the threat, but
Catie Ingalls flied out to left and
Addyson Maxell struck out to strand them both.
Jaedyn Ratzlaff started and took the loss for Nebraska Wesleyan, giving up four runs on ten hits in six innings of work.
Simpson scored in the third when Caelynn Obleton led off with a double and scored on a Brynn Ortlund bunt single. Katie Shaner then blasted a solo home run to center in the fourth to make it 2-0. The Storm added two more in the sixth, a Savana Walls sacrifice fly followed by a Gracie Bruening RBI single, to put the game away at 4-0.
UP NEXT
Nebraska Wesleyan will close out the regular season conference schedule next Saturday (May 2) with a doubleheader at Luther. The Norse currently sit at 19-13, 7-5 in the A-R-C, and will play a doubleheader at Wartburg on Wednesday before hosting the Prairie Wolves.
