Home Runs Key in Mustang Sweep

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Home runs were plentiful on Saturday as the Mustangs belted their way to the most conference wins in program history, as well as the highest finish in conference play in program history, taking down Clarke by scores of 10-4 and 13-9.

Game One

The seniors celebrated Senior Day in style, as three seniors would hit a long ball in game one, led by Drake Frazier who blasted two over the outfield fence.

The Pride would start off hot out of the gate, putting up four runs in the top of the first inning. Thomas Brannon got the scoring started with a single to left field, and Alden Brown followed that up with a three-run blast as Clarke took a 4-0 lead.

Frazier would get the Mustangs on the board in the third, belting a solo shot to left center. Following two more Clarke runs, Riley Rundquist drove in the first of his three RBIs on a double to center field, scoring Jaden Hackbarth. Senior infielder Tyler Dahm pelted a ball to the opposite side of the Plaster Athletic Complex baseball field, homering to left center as the Mustangs were able to pull within one.

After having two moonshots in the Thursday doubleheader, Joel Vaske could not be stopped once again on Saturday, smashing a no-doubt shot to left field, giving the Mustangs the lead after previously being down by five runs. Rundquist decided to get in on the action, as he fired a no-doubter over the left field wall, as Mount Mercy extended the lead to three. Following a Clarke run in the sixth, Frazier belted his second home run of the game to left field, ending the scoring with the Mustangs holding a 10-7 edge.

Tyler Nagelbach earned the win, pitching just under two innings while allowing one run and striking out one. Owen Brauch earned his second save of the year, pitching 1.1 innings and striking out one.

Game Two

A lightning delay wasn't enough to cool off the Mustang bats, as another two Mustangs would record a home run en route to a 13-run offensive showcase.

Trent Hoogerwerf recorded a sacrifce fly in the first inning, giving the Mustangs an early edge. Clarke would respond with four in the second inning, capped off by a Brannon two-RBI single to right field. But the Mustangs would take the lead in the bottom of the second as Dahm added a two-RBI double to the scoresheet, while Hoogerwerf would belt a three-run to left center, as the Mustangs would hold the lead going into the bottom of the sixth.

Following a lightning delay, the Mustangs exploded after the pause by putting up seven runs. Jeremy Figueroa started off the run by driving in a pair on a single to center field. Vaske yet again would add to his already monster weekend by mashing a three-run shot to dead center field. Vaske would end his weekend with four home runs and seven RBIs. Tyler Pecson would come across to score on an error, while Cedric Dunnwald scored on a sacrifice fly, as a 6-4 lead quickly became a 13-4 lead.

Clarke would respond in the seventh with five runs, capped off by an Andrew Swartz grand slam to left center, but that wasn't enough to overcome the monster inning that the Mustangs were able to put up, as the Mustangs walked away with a series sweep, marking the fourth consecutive Heart conference sweep at the Plaster Athletic Complex.

Senior pitcher Nathan Pardini earned the win, pitching three innings while not allowing a run and striking out two. Carson Possehl was tabbed with the loss, pitching 1.1 innings while allowing six earned runs.

The Mustangs have clinched their highest seed at the Heart of America Championships in program history, entering next week's tournament as the three seed. An official tournament bracket will be released at a later time, and information regarding the Heart of America Championships will be available on the Mount Mercy website and social media platforms when the information becomes available.