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.
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.
Earlier in the week, Cornell took an 8-4 win against Simpson College.
The Rams (5-10) took their first lead of the game during a four-run seventh inning and sealed it up from there to back another strong pitching start from right-hander Kole Hinrichsen, who improved to 2-2 on the season.
Gierula capped a 3-for-3 night at the plate with an RBI single in the seventh that brought the Rams within 4-3. Rose, who also had three hits, singled home the tying run.
Gierula came around to score the go-ahead run on a groundout by Logel. Rose crossed on a passed ball to put the Rams up 6-4, stamping the seventh-inning rally.
The Rams accounted for 13 hits in the contest, three coming from Kent who reached base safely for the 15th consecutive game. Rose and Gierula recorded two RBIs apiece. Konicek was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Hinrichsen provided seven quality innings on the mound, allowing only two earned runs and striking out eight. Freshman left-hander Vince Zipperer inherited two runners in the eighth and retired all three batters he faced.
Kriegel worked a scoreless ninth inning, fanning two.