Late rally pushes Mustangs to sweep

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Mount Mercy softball team exploded for nine runs on nine hits in the final two innings of the second game of a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Clarke to earn the sweep at Busse Field. The Mustangs cruised to an 8-1 win in the opener, but needed a late game rally for the come-from-behind, 14-8, win over the Pride. 

Lily King and Kaylie Holtam strung together two hits in the first inning to score a run off Jayna Witzany- her first run given up in the past 19 innings. Over the course of the game, Witzany only allowed two more hits, while striking out 15 in the process and walking none. The Mustangs broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth. With two outs and two runners on base, Keily Ulatowski went deep for a three-run blast- her second on the year. Mount Mercy tacked on three more in the fifth getting RBI's from Natalie Tecklenburg, Makenna Moenk, and Calli Janik. Rylee Goodfellow and Jade Sharp each scored two runs, while Moenk drove in two and Ulatowski three. 

The night cap featured 22 runs and 27 hits between the two teams. Clarke scored two right off the bat, but Mount Mercy responded with three of their own. The Pride didn't give in, chasing starting pitcher, Kalli Minger, after just 2-1/3 innings of work. Clarke (9-16, 3-7 Heart) scored a least one run in each of the first five innings, taking an 8-5 lead going into the bottom of the fifth.  

Sharp ended up at third base after a lead-off single and error by the center fielder, setting up pinch-hitter, Grace Cotton's sacrifice fly a batter later. Back-to-back singles from Tecklenburg and Moenk brought Janik to the plate. She delivered with a go-ahead, three-run bomb to straight away center to give Mount Mercy the lead for the first time since the first inning. In the sixth, the Mustangs capitalized on a bunt single from Ashley Smith, two hit by pitches, a walk, and four hits to take a commanding 14-8 lead. 

Noelle Enriquez pitched 2-1/3 innings in relief limiting the Pride to just two runs on three hits and Piper Brant (2-0) got out of a jam with a flyout to right field for the win. Mount Mercy turned to their ace in the sixth. Witzany retired six of the seven batters she faced, earning her third save of the season. Janik had a monster night, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored and four runs batted in. Raquel Trolliet was right behind her, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Tecklenburg reached base in every at-bat, going 2-for-2 with an RBI, two walks, and three runs scored. 

Mount Mercy (20-11, 9-3 Heart) looks to take this momentum into the weekend for two more Heart doubleheaders agasint Peru State (Neb.) (5-26, 2-12 Heart) cn Saturday and Park (Mo.) (15-16, 4-10 Heart) on Sunday. Games will start at 1:00 pm on both days.