Simpson College’s baseball team opened their home series against Wartburg College on April 10 with two wins, scoring 5-1 and 13-3, before Wartburg stole the final game with a 13-5 win on April 11. The Storm is now 17-10 this season.
The Storm’s success in the first two games came from strong performances out of senior Nate Cagley and junior Charlie Thomas, as well as a consistent offensive approach. All allowed the team to build good momentum in their games.
In game one, Simpson hit Wartburg with three runs, sparked by plays from junior Trenten Kingrey and Cagley. The Storm continued to build momentum after a home run from senior Sam Campin in the fourth inning.
Along with a strong offensive performance, Thomas garnered 11 strikeouts. His performance was then carried into game two.
The Storm started down 3-0 in the first inning but continued to score 13 runs, followed by seven runs in the third inning, four in the sixth and finally one in the eighth inning.
Senior Kasey Carter spoke on the team’s feelings about the games.
“We weren’t worried at all,” Carter said. “The way we go about things, it’s just get one run at a time, chip away and keep scoring as we go.”
In game two, the Storm saw Cagley finish with six hits, eight at bats and three RBIs, while senior Dalton Ferrin added three RBIs as well. The Storm had 16 hits in the second game.
Kingrey felt the team’s confidence in their games.
“Once we get that momentum, it’s over,” Kingrey said. “We trust our guys. Even if someone’s not doing their best, we know someone else is going to step up.”
The Storm’s capability to respond in these scenarios is a big reason many players believe in the team’s success.
“We knew their first pitcher was going to be good, but we knew we were better,” Kingrey said. “You just have to trust your guys.”
Though Simpson’s momentum was unable to carry into next day’s game.
Wartburg, with a record of 14-11, jumped out early in the final game and kept going, having an advantage of 7-0 for a brief moment in the third inning. The Knights added four more runs in the sixth, building their own momentum, which was aided by two home runs from their players.
Despite the loss, Simpson had some notable performances from their series win. Junior Drew Carlson recorded his 100th career hit and finished with three RBIs during the series.
Players were also very excited to have such a large home crowd, which provided them with energy and support.
“It was awesome to see,” Carter said. “Everybody showed out, and it really helped us on the field.”
Simpson will look to regroup as they head into their next matchup against American River Conference (A-R-C) rival Central College on April 14, followed by first in the ARC, Loras College, on April 17 and April 18.
As the conference season continues, Kingrey knows the importance of winning every match.
“Every game matters,” Kingrey said. “We’re just trying to prove people wrong and show that we belong.”
