The Simpson College Storm only lost two games to start the season and won the other 18 games they played. The Storm won the two most recent games in their home opener with a sweep against Grinnell College. They won game one, 12-2, and game two, 9-1. The Storm had a nine-run second inning in game one, and a walk-off home run by Megan Heidelbauer sealed the 9-1 win in game two.
Over spring break, the team traveled to Florida and played 16 games, winning 15 and losing one, having a win streak of 10 games. The Storm’s 15-1 start to the year is the best record through the first 16 games since 2015.
“We played the toughest schedule we’ve played in Florida in the eight years that I’ve been the head coach,” head coach Brent Matthias said. “We played two top 20 teams and played four teams that made the NCAA tournament last year.”
One of the highlights for the Storm during spring break was their win over nationally ranked University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. The 6-5 walk-off win was led by Mackenzie James, who brought in Ashlyn Steen and Alexis Ehlers after hitting the ball through an infield gap.
“We had to be focused to not give up and not quit to come back and score three runs in that game to win at the end,” Matthias said. “The Florida experience was a good experience for our team, and hopefully, we can use the knowledge we gained in Florida towards our upcoming conference season.”
A lot of fans who were in attendance in Florida were family members of the players. “A lot of our families go to almost every game that they can, and it is a testament to the sacrifices that they make for us now, but also in the past,” Heidelbauer said. “We’ve been playing softball for over a decade now, and our parents continue to take off work, our siblings continue to show up for us even on the cold days, the hot days, windy days, doesn’t matter, they’re always there, and it speaks volumes to us knowing what they put into us so that we can also go forward and play our best game and not have to worry about the other things we just have to go have fun.”
Heidelbauer earned an American Rivers Conference Player of the Week honor for her performance in Florida. She had a batting average of .500 with five home runs and drove in 17 runs. “Even though she’s 5’2”, she can hit; she’s a mighty mouse,” Matthias said.
The Storm returned seven starters from last year. “They went out and earned their positions again. So, now this is another year of having that nucleus together, which is very positive,” Matthias said.
The team’s success thus far can be credited to their chemistry and a focus on the Tibetan word, Mudita, meaning having vicarious joy for the success of others. Kylee Tucker and Heidelbauer discussed how close the team was this year and how the Florida trip benefited their chemistry.
“It’s been really fun; I feel like this year, we’ve really come together as a team, whereas, in the past, we’ve been a team, but it hasn’t been like the sisterly love we have this year,” Tucker said. “I feel like we all love each other like we’re family, and I think that helps us on and off the field. I think that’s part of the reason that we’ve been successful this year.”
The team’s chemistry and love from the fans didn’t go unnoticed in Florida. A coach from one of the opposing teams told Matthias that he thought they were playing a Power Four team because fans were tailgating and flying the red and gold. Matthias told another story about how an ump enjoyed watching the team play, not because they won but because he could tell they loved each other.
“I was taken back, and I go, ‘What?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I can tell this team really loves each other, they care for each other,’ and that’s a big thing when you love something or someone, you will go above and beyond for them, and I really believe that’s what this team has maybe more than teams in the past,” Matthias said.
Despite the team’s success so far, they aren’t satisfied and are hungry for more. “We’d like to be at the top at the end of the year in our conference, in the country, and that’s because I think we’ve got a great team who’s willing to work very hard for their goals and I don’t think they’re satisfied with being an all right team, they want to be the best team,” Matthias said.