INDIANOLA, Iowa (May 2, 2026) - The Buena Vista baseball team was going after the series win at Simpson College on Saturday afternoon to close out its season, but instead it was the Storm doing all of the scoring in the fifth inning to hold off the Beavers, 4-0.
It was a pitcher's duel in the early going with only five combined base runners over the first three innings. BVU had one of its best scoring threats in the fourth after junior
Jake Eddie doubled to lead off the inning and sophomore
Kaden Struck later walked to put runners at first and second with only one out. The Storm, however, got out of the jam with a big double play on a line out to first off the bat of
Jack Schmaltz.
BVU got back-to-back two out singles in the fifth but the two runners were stranded there after a ground out ended the inning. For the game, the Beavers would strand 10 runners on base.
The Storm did all of the damage in the bottom of the fifth which began with a leadoff walk. Following a stolen base and a single that put runners at the corners with no outs, the first run came across on a throwing error. That forced BVU starter
Koleson Evans out of the game, but Simpson would add a two-run single off of reliever
Logan Lape-Brinkman to make it 3-0. The Storm later loaded the bases with only one out, and would push across the final run on a fielder's choice as BVU was unable to turn the double play.
Eddie, who went 2-for-4 in the game, added his second leadoff double of the afternoon to begin the sixth but was later stranded at third. The Beavers had runners at second and third with two outs in the seventh and couldn't score, and then would leave the bases loaded in the eighth.
Cael Kaestner also added two hits in the game for BVU, including one double.
Evans was charged with three runs (two earned) and three hits over four-plus innings. He did strikeout six in the game but also walked four. Six different relievers came on to pitch the final four innings and allowed only three hits and two walks.
Buena Vista closes out the year at 10-28 overall (6-18 A-R-C). The game also was the final one in the careers of
Logan Lape-Brinkman,
Nick Ripple,
Peyton Thomas,
Christian Kaanapu,
Seth Busch,
Levi Kennedy and
Kaden Barton.
