Mustang bats come alive in weekend finale

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. / ATCHISON, Kan. - In their last weekend road trip down South of the Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season, the Mount Mercy softball team went 3-1 against two teams in the top half of the conference. The Mustangs picked up two big wins against Evangel (Mo.) on Friday, defeating the Valor 8-2 and 4-2. Mount Mercy then dropped the first game against MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) on Saturday, 1-0, before an explosive 12-9 victory in game two. 

The Mustangs and Valor were scoreless through two innings, but Mount Mercy proceeded to score at least one run in the next four innings. Makenna Moenk drew a lead-off hit by pitch in the third. Singles from Calli Janik, Sam Lee, and Rylee Goodfellow helped break it open as the Mustangs scored three. Lee capped off the scoring barrage with a solo shot in the sixth. She went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs. Raquel Trolliet, Jade Sharp, and Janik each finished with two hits. Jayna Witzany went the distance striking out nine while allowing just five hits and one walk en route to her 16th win of the season. 

Even though Evangel (26-16, 13-9 Heart) committed five errors and Mount Mercy had runners in scoring position in five of the first six innings, the two teams were tied 1-1 through six. Down to their last out, Keily Ulatowski singled to right center and advanced to second on an error by the right fielder. For the second time in as many games, Lee was clutch as she went deep again, this time for the lead. The Valor plated one in their half of the seventh, but Witzany shut down the threat with a strikeout and recorded her fourth save. Kalli Minger (4-8) pitched 6-1/3 strong innings, striking out six and giving up just five hits. 

Mount Mercy looked to keep the offense going with their doubleheader against the Pioneers on Saturday, but Sara Melodia of MidAmerica Nazarene (23-15, 13-9 Heart) held the Mustangs to just five hits and no runs scored. Jayna Witzany suffered only her fifth loss of the season despite striking out nine and allowing only three hits. The Pioneers capitalized on a Mustang error in the first and scored an unearned run, which proved to be the difference. Mount Mercy had their opportunities, including the bases loaded in the first as well as two on in the sixth, but couldn't connect. Moenk and Sharp each had two hits to pace the Mustangs. 

Game two was a high scoring affair with a couple of lead changes. Mount Mercy jumped out to a 5-0 lead through two innings, but a seven-run third for the Pioneers quickly changed the game. Down 7-5, the Mustangs responded with three in the fourth to retake the lead, 8-7. MidAmerica Nazarene leveled the game 8-8 in their half of the fourth. Mount Mercy scored another in the fifth for the 9-8 lead and added three more in the seventh to go up 12-8. The Pioneers had one final push, scoring one in the seventh before Witzany got a flyout to end it. Noelle Enriquez (2-0) got the win by pitching 1-2/3 innings of scoreless softball, setting up Witzany for her fifth save of the year. Abbey Smith, Moenk, and Ulatowski each recorded three hits and accounted for six of the 12 runs scored. 

With only one week remaining in the regular season, Mount Mercy (26-13, 15-5 Heart) is third in the conference, but has a chance to make some noise. The Mustangs play first in the conference and 17th-ranked Central Methodist (Mo.) (28-8, 15-3 Heart) on Wednesday, April 26 at Busse Field with the doubleheader beginning at 3:00 pm.