Mustangs end opening weekend with a no-hitter

OMAHA, Neb. - Behind the arms of Nathan Pardini, Tyler Stern, Joe Gabel, and Jon Cross the Mount Mercy baseball team no-hit Mount Marty (S.D.) in the fourth game of the neutral site, non-conference series to earn their first win of the season over the weekend at Westside High School.

In game one, the Mustangs and Lancers were scoreless through three until Mount Marty broke it open. The Lancers scored in the final four innings for the 7-1 win. Casey Sole drove in the lone run of the game with a double down the right field line to plate Kyle Moeder who was hit by a pitch. Evan Paulus also picked up a hit, while Brady Schiesl (0-1) took the loss after five innings of work. 

Game two featured a pitcher's dual between Mount Marty's Clayton Chipcase and the Mustangs' Blake Harseim. Neither team mustered a hit until the top of the seventh when the Lancers singled. Mount Marty pushed four runs across the plate in the eighth and sent Mount Mercy down in order in the bottom half of the frame for the 4-0 win. Harseim allowed just the one hit in 6 1/3 innings of work while striking out four. Jacob Lodge (0-1) came in relief and gave up two hits in the loss. 

Mount Marty jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first game on Sunday and proceeded to add another run in the third and sixth for their second straight 4-0 shutout. Jackson Bennett (0-3) and Josh Fleming each pitched three innings. Joel Vaske collected both of the Mustangs hits, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate. 

The Mustang bats finally came alive in the final game, erupting for nine hits. Tyler Dahm's lead-off single set the tone for Mount Mercy. Two batters later, Vaske's double put two runners in scoring position for Matthew Murphy. Murphy's sacrifice fly gave Mount Mercy the early 1-0 lead. The Mustangs scored one in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the sixth for the 5-0 win. Dahm, Vaske, and Murphy each totaled two hits and Murphy finished with two RBIs. Pardini (1-0) went three strong innings, striking out five. Stern, Gabel, and Cross all came on in relief and shut Mount Marty (3-1) down for the combined no-hitter. 

Mount Mercy (1-3) hits the road for a four-game series against Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.) (3-6) at Gene Autry Park, Thursday, Feb. 16 - Saturday, Feb. 18th.