Dominant pitching leads No. 14 Simpson softball to two wins

CLERMONT, Fla. - Behind complete games from Emma LaFave and Marina Cronin, 14th-ranked Simpson knocked off Western New England 5-0 and Calvin 4-2 to start the Spring Games.

The two pitchers combined for 14 innings to only allow two runs on 10 total hits with just one walk and 15 strikeouts. Adding the run support was Ashlyn Steen who collected five hits on the day with four extra base hits and three runs scored. Megan Heidelbauer, Mackenzie James, and Katie Shaner all provided extra base hits of their own and combined to drive in four runs.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• Makalya Fowler collected the first hit for the Storm to lead off the bottom of the third, and an Ashlyn Steen bunt single were the lone hits until the sixth.
• With the game caught in a pitching duel, 0-0, heading to the bottom of the sixth, it was Steen who led off the five-run inning with a single and steal.
• Megan Heidelbauer and Mackenzie James drove in a pair of runs with back-to-back extra base hits to put Simpson on the board.
• Later in the sixth, Addison Gookin, Caelynn Obleton, and Gracie Bruening added to the lead with RBI singles to extend Simpson's lead to five.
• Emma LaFave went the distance for the Storm, pitching to a tune of seven innings, five hits, zero runs, zero walks and eight strikeouts. LaFave earned her third win of the season.

GAME ONE LEADERS

• Emma LaFave - 7 IP, W, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K
• Ashlyn Steen - 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 SB
• Megan Heidelbauer - 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 3B
• Mackenzie James - 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 2B

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• James got the Storm on the board first with a sac fly in the opening frame, scoring Steen who reached on a triple to center.
• Calvin plated their two runs of the game in the third inning on a home run to center to take a 2-1 lead.
• Simpson stole the lead back in the fifth when Katie Shaner doubled down the left field line, scoring both Steen and Brynn Ortlund.
• In the sixth, Simpson scored an insurance run after Steen doubled, bringing Ortlund in for her second run of the game.
• Marina Cronin delivered a gem in the circle for the Storm, going the full seven innings, allowing the two runs on five hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts.

GAME TWO LEADERS

• Marina Cronin - 7 IP, W, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
• Ashlyn Steen - 3-for-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 3B, 1 2B
• Brynn Ortlund - 2-for-3, 2 R
• Katie Shaner - 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 2B

UP NEXT
Simpson returns to action tomorrow, March 15 with a doubleheader against Ithaca and Chicago with first pitch scheduled for 12:45 p.m.