Mustang softball takes 3-of-4 in Missouri

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Mount Mercy softball team was back in action this weekend, splitting a Friday doubleheader at Evangel before sweeping Missouri Valley on Saturday in Heart of America Athletic Conference action.

Evangel used a 3-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Mount Mercy, 6-5, in game one on Friday. Five of those six runs were earned as Jayna Witzany (JR/Cottage Grove, Minn.) took the loss despite 11 strikeouts. Payton Bruner (SR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) homered twice while going 3-for-4 with 3 runs batted in. Morgan Braughton (SR/Marion, Iowa) finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Emily Oler (SR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) shut down the Crusaders in game two, surrendering just three hits while allowing one earned runs and striking out three in a 4-1 victory for the Mustangs. Braughton, Oler, Jaicee Lyons (SR/Atkins, Iowa), and Jade Sharp (SO/Des Moines, Iowa) had two hits each. Audrey Grove (JR/South English, Iowa) was 1-for-3 with two RBI and Sharp and Bruner also drove in a run.

Witzany (7-3) rebounded nicely in Saturday's opener, throwing a complete-game 5-hitter while striking out 11 with no walks in an 8-3 win over Missouri Valley. Bruner, Lyons, and Braughton all had three hits for Mount Mercy while Sharp, Jess Heick (SR/Solon, Iowa), Oler, Hannah Mausser (JR/Bettendorf, Iowa), Samantha Lee (FR/Long Grove, Iowa), and Braughton each drove in a run.

Oler was nearly unhittable again in the nightcap, giving up just four hits and no earned runs while striking out three and walking none in a 9-1, 6-inning win for the Mustangs. Heick finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and Bruner was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Mausser doubled and tallied three runs batted in and Lee ended up 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Mount Mercy (13-7, 6-6 Heart) hosts MidAmerica Nazarene (8-4, 6-0 Heart) on Friday at 5:00 p.m. at Busse Field, then faces Park (1-9, 1-5 Heart) on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., also in Cedar Rapids.