Mustangs Sweep Missouri Valley in Home Heart Opener

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Mount Mercy baseball team got the home slate of Heart of America action off to a hot start, sweeping Missouri Valley on Friday, 4-0 and 10-1.

Game One

In the series opener, Jaden Hackbarth would go a perfect 3-3 with an RBI, while Drew Terpins also added a multi-hit game, going 2-2. Out of the four runs scored, Jeremy Figueroa would lead the way with three runs batted in.

Figueroa drove in all three runs on a homer that clanked off the left field foul pole, giving the Mustangs a 3-0 lead in the third inning. The Mustangs would next score in the fifth, as Hackbarth doubled down the left field line to drive in Cedric Dunnwald.

Owen Coffman delivered a sensational performance on the mound, recording a complete game shutout while allowing just three hits and striking out seven, earning his second win of the season. Coffman took a no-hit bid into the fifth where Mason Mitchell delivered the first Viking hit. Coffman would strike out the side in the second inning, leading to three of his seven strikeouts.

Game Two

The Mustang offense struck early, tallying six runs in the first inning alone, chasing the Viking starter from the game before recording an out. Figueroa would drive in the first run of the game, tripling to right center to drive in Hackbarth. The next batter up was Bryce Brown, who drove in Figueroa on a single to right field. Brown would then come across to score on a wild pitch to extend the Mustang lead to three.

Garrett Dennis added his name to the scoresheet, driving in a run on a single to left field. Griffen Bushnell then added a sacrifice fly to right, driving in Tyler Pecson. In his second at bat of the inning, Figueroa drew a walk to drive in a run, capping off a six run first inning.

In the third inning, Brown belted a solo shot to left center, increasing the Mustang lead to eight. Dunnwald woudld then extend the lead to nine on a single to center, before the Vikings were able to get on the board. Rui Watanabe reached on an dropped fly ball, as a run would come in to score. But Pecson would respond with an RBI double ot left center to cap off the win.

Ashton Schwab, much like Coffman in the first game, took a no-hit bit into the fifth, as he would throw six innings of one hit ball while striking out six, earning his first win of the season. Rown Gelder was tabbed with the loss, not recording an out while allowing five earned runs.

The Mustangs and Vikings will return to the diamond, closing out the series on Sunday with a doubleheader starting at noon.