WAVERLY, Iowa – The Knights fell to Simpson 5-2 after the Storm scored three runs in the top of the 10^th inning to avoid the series sweep on Saturday, May 4. Wartburg moves to 22-16 overall and 12-11 in American Rivers Conference play.
 
Game Summary

• Second Inning
  • The first run of the game came after smart base running from Caleb Andrews, who took home after a wild pitch
• Third Inning
  • After Keaton Gray reached base, he was scored from second by a Zach Walton single to left field to make it 2-0 Wartburg
• Fifth Inning
  • The Storm got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth after a two-out single scored one run to cut the Wartburg lead to 2-1
• Sixth Inning
  • Simpson scored another run in the sixth to tie the game at 2-2 after three hits in the top half of the inning
• Ninth Inning
  • After early base runners from Simpson, Kyle Thompson was able to maneuver out of trouble to keep the game tied 2-2 headed to the final frame
• 10^th Inning
  • Simpson was able to load the bases and then bring three runs across to take a 5-2 lead after the top of the 10^th
  • Aiden Tobin and Gray singled to begin the bottom half, but Simpson was able to record the next three outs to hold off the Knights 5-2

 
Top Performers

• Keaton Gray
  • 3/5 at the plate
  • One run scored
  • Stolen base
• Zach Walton
  • 1/4 at the plate
  • One RBI
• Aiden Tobin
  • 1/3 at the plate
  • Walk

 
Coaches Comments
Head Coach Casey Klunder began his postgame thoughts by talking about his seniors that were honored today, "What a great group of players and leaders we got to celebrate here today. It's been our goal later into the season to keep extending the season for those guys."
 
"Cael Funk had one of the better third game of a series starts we've had this season," said Klunder following the game. "We need to do a better job supporting him with more runs. Just disappointing the way we swung the bat today."
 
Klunder talked about needing to get earlier hits in innings,  "It seems like we haven't gotten innings started offensively until there's already an out or two. It also makes it hard when you don't hit it in the gap like we did today." The Knights did not record an extra-base hit in the loss.
 
"Winning five series so far in conference play is no easy task in our league," said Klunder. "Obviously Coe is the best team in the league right now but we have a lot to play for in Cedar Rapids tomorrow."
 
 
 
Notes/Streaks

• Fifth A-R-C series win of the season for Wartburg
• Walton moves his RBI total to 42 this season
• Gray recorded his 19^th multi-hit game this season
• Gray is now 22/25 on stolen base attempts this season
• Cael Funk now has 25 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched this season
• Thompson now has 26 strikeouts in 25.2 innings pitched this season

 
Next Time Out
The Knights will close the regular season in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Sunday, May 5 before next week's A-R-C tournament.