WAVERLY, Iowa-- The No. 8 Wartburg baseball team (30-9 overall, 20-8 IIAC) won its 17th outright and 20th overall Iowa Conference Championship in the sweep over Simpson Monday. This also marked the tenth time in program history the team has met or surpassed the 30-win mark.

The Knights shutout the Storm in both games, 4-0 and 12-0 in seven innings.



In the first game, junior Ryan Kemp (Keokuk) put the Orange and Black on the board in the first as he drove in classmate Tyler Willis (Waverly). Kemp doubled the lead in the third as senior Jackson Litterer (Waverly) scored on his double down the right field line.

Kemp continued his big day in the fifth on his inside the park homerun which also scored junior Robbie Anstoetter (Farley).

Sophomore Max Langheinrich (Minnetonka, Minn.) earned the win as he pitched the complete game and struck out a career-best 10 batters, just three shy of the school record.

Kemp went 3-3 at the plate, just a triple shy of the cycle, with all four RBIs.



In the finale, Wartburg took the 1-0 lead in the second as senior Matt Kruger (Shoreview, Minn.) drove in junior Milton Croes (Noord, Aruba) on his single to left. The Knights tallied five runs on as many hits in the third, which included a two-run double from Kruger.

The Storm looked to score in the fifth, but their runner was thrown out at the plate by right fielder sophomore Jake Thumann (DeWitt).

The Orange and Black scored their final six runs in the fifth on four hits, which included a two-run double from Kemp. Simpson was unable to compile a rally to seal the win for Wartburg in seven-innings.

Thumann went 3-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Junior Parker Bolt (Reinbeck) earned the win as he pitched six innings and fanned eight.

The Knights return to the field Friday when they host St. Thomas at 7 p.m. in Waterloo at the Riverfront Stadium.

Waterloo Courier recap