Mustangs sweep Senior Day, Witzany adds another accomplishment

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Just when you think Jayna Witzany has done it all, think again. In her last start at home, she fanned 18 batters, tying the single game record posted from 2009. Witzany helped lead the Mount Mercy softball team to two wins over Graceland in the final regular season Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader. The Mustangs defeated the Yellowjackets 7-0 and 4-1 at Busse Field on Saturday for senior day in which Macy Alexander, Makenna Moenk, Jade Sharp, and Witzany were all recognized. 

Witzany walked the first batter of the first two innings, but then proceeded to strikeout the next 11 before Graceland (20-26, 6-20) put the ball in play with two outs in the fifth inning, grounding out to Moenk. The Yellowjackets broke up Witzany's no-hitter in the sixth with a single to left field. In the final frame, Witzany needed to record all three outs in order to claim the record, but a check swing groundout to her, kept her tied at 18 with Becca Smith. Witzany has finished with 17 strikeouts on multiple occasions before, but never reached 18- she now shares that record. 

On the offensive side, it was a four-run second and a three-run sixth for the Mustangs. With runners on second and third, Abbey Smith delivered with a single to left field, scoring both Allie Poston and Sharp. Natalie Tecklenburg brought Ab. Smith home a batter later and Moenk's triple plated Tecklenburg. Poston, Moenk, and Tecklenburg all finished with two hits. Jade Sharp scored two runs and Ab. Smith finished with two RBI. Mount Mercy out hit Graceland 10-1, leading to Witzany's 18th win of the season- her eighth in shutout fashion.

Noelle Enriquez got the nod for the second time this year and she took advantage of it. Enriquez (3-0) took a play out of Witzany's playbook, pitching four innings of no-hit softball, striking out two and walking none. Kalli Minger pitched the fifth before Mount Mercy turned to Witzany for the final six outs, four of which she recorded via strikeout, making that 22 on the day. The Mustangs got on the board in the third due to a triple from Ulatowski, scoring Sam Lee and Moenk. Mount Mercy added insurance runs in the fourth via an Ashley Smith RBI and again in the sixth from a Moenk RBI. Tecklenburg and Moenk each finished 2-for-4 at the dish for the second straight game. Ulatowski and Rylee Goodfellow also totaled two hits a piece. 

With the sweep, Mount Mercy solidified themselves as the third-seed in this week's 2023 Heart of America Athletic Conference Softball Championship. The Mustangs will play sixth-seeded Evangel (Mo.) at 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 4 at the Baker Softball Complex in Baldwin City, Kan. The Mustangs (29-16, 18-8) swept the Valor (27-19, 14-12) in their regular season matchup.