Catcher Makayla Fowler Trots the Bases After a 4th Inning, 2-Run Homer in an 8-3 Win Over DePauw to Advance to the Regional Final. Photo courtesy of Kason Zetah
The Simpson softball team opened their second day of regional play by falling 3-1 in extra innings to #7 Saint Mary’s, but battled back later in the day Friday for an 8-3 win over DePauw to reach the regional final, and both games were broadcast live on 94.3 KNIA.
Despite a strong pitching performance from Alyssa Breckner against the top-seeded Cardinals, the Storm struggled to capitalize on multiple scoring opportunities. Simpson recorded nine hits in the opener, but left nine runners on base. Breckner held a top-ranked Saint Mary’s offense in check for most of the game, limiting the Cardinals to only one run over seven innings. Saint Mary’s took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, before Breckner held them scoreless for the next six innings. The Storm finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game back up at 1-1, when Brielyn Ginnaty singled, and Makayla Fowler doubled home pinch runner Alexis Voss. Needing an extra inning to determine a winner, Saint Mary’s struck for two more runs in the top of the eighth and Simpson was held scoreless, sending the Storm to an elimination game against DePauw. In total, Breckner pitched all eight innings, allowing just three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out one.
Facing the Tigers for the second time in as many days, Simpson wasted no time getting the bats going in the rematch, using a first inning Megan Heidelbauer sac fly to score Ashlyn Steen and take a 1-0 lead.
DePauw responded in the bottom of the first to tie up the game at 1-1, before Heidelbauer once again delivered a run for the Storm with an RBI single in the third inning to score Caelynn Obleton to take a 2-1 lead. Rain moved into the area in the fourth inning and reduced the winds blowing in from the outfield, and Simpson took advantage with the long ball, starting with a solo shot from Katie Shaner and followed by a two-run homer from Fowler to push the lead to 5-1. DePauw countered with a two-run home run of their own in the bottom of the fourth, but the Storm added to the lead in the fifth with a sac fly RBI from Alexis Ehlers to make it a 6-3 ballgame. In the seventh, Simpson tacked on two more insurance runs and Kylee Tucker came on in relief to slam the door shut on the Tigers’ season to reach the regional final.
With the win over DePauw, the Storm will have a rematch with Saint Mary’s today in the Regional Championship. The Storm will need to win two games to win the regional, while Saint Mary’s needs just one win. The first game will be played at 11 am and if Simpson wins, game two will start at 1:30, and all of today’s action can be heard live on 94.3 KNIA.