The Simpson softball team needed just ten innings to sweep the Pioneers of Grinnell College in a non-conference doubleheader Friday evening, winning 12-2 and 9-1 in two five-inning games heard live on the KNIA3 stream on KNIAKRLS.com.

The Storm exploded out of the gate, putting up three runs in the first inning of game one with an RBI groundout from Lexi Ehlers and a two-RBI single from Makayla Fowler, then followed that up with a 9-run second inning to take a 12-0 lead. The Storm got RBI singles from Mackenzie James and Fowler, while Katie Shaner, Ashlyn Steen, and Megan Heidelbauer all had two-RBI doubles in the inning. The Pioneers fought back to score two runs in the fifth inning, but the Storm would hold on to end the game early. Sierra Franklin got the win in the circle.

Game two saw the Storm again take an early lead with a Steen 2-RBI single, then added a run in the third with a botched pickoff turning into a rundown and a run scored to lead 3-0. The Pioneers got a run back in the fourth inning to make it 3-1, but Steen led off bottom of the inning with a home run, followed by an RBI double from Ehlers and an RBI single from James to make it 6-1. In the bottom of the fifth, a missed fly ball with two outs led to the Storm getting two runners on base for Heidelbauer who hit a three-run blast to walk it off. Marina Cronin earned the win in the circle getting the start, and struck out the first five batters she faced.

Head coach Brent Matthias tells KNIA Sports the Storm are going to have to play collectively as a team if they want to achieve their goals of being at the top of the conference this season, and games like Friday are what help get them there.

The Storm are now 18-2, and will take a week off before facing off against rival Central.