Mustangs Offense Stalled as Pioneers Sweep MMU

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Despite a Friday sweep, the Mustangs ultimately split the Heart of America series with MidAmerica Nazarene, as the Pioneers swept the doubleheader on Saturday, 5-2 and 2-1.

Game One

Jaden Hackbarth was the lone Mustang to record multiple hits in the opener, going 2-3 of the plate. Bryce Brown Tyler Pecson, Garrett Dennis, and Drew Terpins also recorded a hit. Derek Einertson scored the first run of the game as an errant throw to second base by the Pioneer third baseman as the Mustangs jumped out to a 1-0 lead. But the Pioneers would answer with one in the fifth as Sean Maple came across to score on a wild pitch, tying the game.

In the bottom of the inning, Dennis drove in the lone Mustang RBI on a single to right to give the Mustangs the lead back. Following a Pioneer sac fly in the sixth that tied the game, Drew Woodley scored on a wild pitch to give the Pioneers the lead. Maple would add two more RBIs in the seventh on a single to right center, as the Pioneers held on for a 5-2 win.

Reece Helland earned the win, throwing 1.1 innings and not allowing a hit. Cole Conner was tabbed with the loss, pitching 1.2 innings while allowing three earned runs.

Game Two

In the series finale, the Mustangs were only able to muster one run and three hits, as two hits came off the bat of Griffen Bushnell. Maple got the scoring started for the Pioneers in the fourth, singling to right field, scoring Javier Melendez. Brentt Olmo added an RBI single in the fifth before the Mustangs finally got on the board. In the bottom of the seventh, Darrell Michael Jean scored on a wild pitch, trimming into the Pioneer lead, but ultimately the Mustangs couldn't push another run across to tie the game.

Owen Brauch was tabbed with the loss, throwing just under five innings while allowing five hits and two runs. Owen Chaffin earned the win, throwing a complete game while allowing the three hits and one run, although unearned, while also striking out two.

The Mustangs will return to the diamond on Tuesday, taking on Waldorf in a road non-conference matchup.