Come-from-behind wins highlight weekend sweep
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mount Mercy | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 2 |
|
St. Francis (Ill.) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 4 |
JOLIET, Ill. -- Mount Mercy picked up some much-needed wins over the weekend, erasing deficits in all three games of a sweep over St. Francis (Ill.) at Duly Field.
The series was originally scheduled at the Robert W. Plaster Athletic Complex in Cedar Rapids, but a chilly weather forecast sent the Mustangs to Joliet. They emerged with an overall record of 5-6 while snapping a three-game losing streak.
Mount Mercy trailed 4-0 and 7-2 before late-game heroics gave the Mustangs a 9-7 victory in the opening game of the series on Saturday afternoon. St. Francis seemed to be in control at the midway point with a five-run lead after five innings.
Mount Mercy chipped away, though, getting an RBI single from Kyle Moeder in the sixth before a three-run seventh, capped off by a run-scoring triple by Jeremy Figueroa and an RBI infield single from Joel Vaske.
The Mustangs were down, 7-6, entering the ninth. Figueroa scored on a Riley Rundquist single and Matthew Murphy drilled a two-run double that scored Dalton Hews to give Mount Mercy the lead. Tyler Dahm plated Brandon Bickford with a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring and Jon Cross closed it down in the bottom half. Joe Gabel (1-0) got the win in relief, going 1-2/3 innings without allowing a hit and striking out two batters.
It was Blake Harseim's turn to shine in game one of Sunday's doubleheader. His complete-game, five-hitter kept the Saints offense quiet. Their only run was unearned in the second inning as Harseim (1-1) finished with five strikeouts and a walk. A Rundquist sacrifice fly and Murphy solo homer in the fourth provided all the offense the Mustangs needed.
In the nine-inning series finale, things looked bleak for Mount Mercy after a five-run seventh frame put the Saints in front, 7-4. Then came the eighth, where St. Francis allowed three unearned runs to help the Mustangs tie it. An inning later, Evan Paulus doubled down the left field line to score Hews with the game winner. Nathan Pardini (2-1) picked up the win with two innings of hitless, scoreless relief that included three strikeouts.
Weather permitting, Mount Mercy will make their home debut this weekend against St. Ambrose. The Mustangs will play a four-game series beginning at 1:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.