The Simpson Storm softball team stranded 14 runners against rival Central in the American Rivers Conference Tournament semifinal round on Saturday, falling 4-3 in nine innings as heard live on 94.3 KNIA.

The Storm trailed 3-0 after a defensive miscue and timely Dutch hits put them up after the first inning and a half, but the Storm would score two runs in the bottom of the second inning on a bases-loaded walk and a fielder’s choice grounder, but they would be unable to drive in any runs via the hit and that was the story for the rest of the contest, as neither team scored for the next several innings.

Mackenzie James led off the bottom of the seventh with a hit, then as the Storm were down to their final out pinch hitter Savanna Walls drove in James to tie the score and force extra innings. The Storm had two runners on with nobody out in the eighth with the middle of the order coming up to bat, but were unable to drive in any runs and Central scored a run in ninth to win it. Simpson falls to 31-7 on the season, and awaits their destination for the NCAA tournament regionals.