INDIANOLA, Iowa - The University of Dubuque baseball team returned to Indianola to face Simpson College for the series finale. In a low-scoring, defensive affair, the Spartans prevailed 3-2.
Simpson's leadoff hitter opened the home first with an 11-pitch walk but Tanner Simmons picked him off and faced the minimum in the first. Neither team threatened to score until the third inning, when Justin Potts fielded a single in center field and nabbed the tiebreaking run at the plate to keep the game scoreless. The Spartans tallied all three of their runs in the fourth inning. Ryan Turner led off with a hit by pitch and advanced to third on a single by Alex Esser on the ninth pitch of his at bat. Logan Cadenhead drove a single to right field two batters later, scoring Turner. Zavion Ingram executed a push bunt and reached base, scoring Esser. Cadenhead later came around to score on a single by Ashr Harris, giving the Spartans a 3-0 lead. Simpson rallied in the home half, scoring twice, but Potts threw a second runner out on an identical play, securing a 3-2 lead for the Spartans. Both teams went down quietly until the seventh, when Simpson had two runners on, but Matthew Risser fielded a comebacker and flipped the ball to first to secure the final out, escaping the jam. Vic Pico entered in the eighth and faced seven hitters, retiring six and collecting the two-inning save.
Ingram and Harris collected multiple hits on the day, and both players drove in a run. Harris mashed a double and stole a base on Monday. On the mound, Simmons collected the win and tossed five innings of two-run ball, allowing five hits and five walks while striking out five across 105 pitches. Risser was credited with the hold after pitching two plus innings, allowing no hits, no runs, and walking three. Pico collected his third save, walking one while allowing no hits and fanning three in two innings of work.
Up Next
The Spartans have a quick turnaround as they will travel to Cedar Rapids tomorrow to take on Coe College in a A-R-C midweek doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. with game two commencing shortly after the conclusion of game one.
