INDIANOLA – Freshman
Kale Rose tallied four hits and scored what proved to be the winning run in Cornell's 9-8 Game 1 baseball triumph in 10 innings over Simpson Saturday at McBride Field.
Simpson came back to take the nightcap, 8-4. The Rams (6-11) beat the American Rivers Conference foe two out of three games, which included Friday's 8-4 victory in Mount Vernon.
Rose recorded his seventh multi-hit game of the season in the opener, going 4-for-6 with two runs and a pair of RBIs. The second baseman's fourth hit of the game keyed Cornell's two-run rally in the top of the 10th.
James Kent drew a bases-loaded walk to push the Rams ahead 8-7.
Alec Boldt then plated Rose with a sacrifice fly for an important insurance run that was the difference.
Simpson (9-9) scored once in the bottom of the 10th and had two runners on base when Cornell reliever
Carter Kriegel induced a fielder's choice grounder to shortstop Kent for the final out. Kriegel earned his first save of the season.
Winning pitcher
Preston Wright worked a scoreless ninth inning, bumping his season record to 3-0.
Colin Gierula scored three times.
Josiah Shaw went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Boldt also drove in two runs.
Cornell was in position to sweep, taking a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning on Kent's two-run double. The Storm countered with three runs in the bottom of the frame and added three more in the seventh to complete the scoring.
Kent finished with three RBIs, giving him a team-high 16 for the season.
Drew Logel had two hits and Rose capped a big series with another hit and two runs from the leadoff spot.
The Rams travel to play Augustana for a single nine-inning game at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Moline, Ill.