Mustangs Split Opening Doubleheader with Mount Marty

PAPILLION, Neb. — Mount Mercy had a rollercoaster day against Mount Marty University in the Battle of the Mount, experiencing both a commanding victory and a narrow defeat in their doubleheader at Papillion South on Sunday.

In Game 1, Mount Mercy unleashed a potent offensive display, overpowering Mount Marty 21-7. The Mustangs hammered out 21 runs on 15 hits, including four home runs, while Mount Marty faltered with four fielding errors.

Mount Mercy set the tone early, exploding for five runs in the first inning. Christian Graves, with a two-RBI double, brought Derek Einertson and Kade Knock across the plate. An error by Mount Marty's pitcher allowed Griffen Bushnell to advance to third, driving in two more runs. Lane Spieker closed the inning with a sacrifice fly, sending Bushnell home and securing a 5-0 lead for the Mustangs.

The second inning saw Mount Mercy extend their advantage with two additional runs. Bushnell's double scored Graves, and Drew Terpins' groundout to shortstop brought Bushnell home. Mount Marty attempted a comeback with a three-run burst, highlighted by Cooper Mlnarik's two-run homer, trimming the deficit to 7-3 after two innings.

Graves kept the momentum rolling in the third, launching a solo shot to left field. Mount Marty responded with two runs in the bottom of the third, using a balk and a sacrifice fly to close the gap to 8-5.

In the fifth, Mount Mercy's bats roared to life again, adding four runs. Graves smashed his second homer, a two-run blast, followed by Spieker's own two-run homer, pushing the lead to 12-5. Mount Marty remained scoreless in the fifth.

A relatively quiet sixth inning saw each team notch one run. However, the Mustangs ignited in the eighth, piling on eight runs. Einertson's three-run homer was the standout moment, as Mount Mercy capitalized on errors and walks to finalize the score at 21-7.

Mount Mercy's emphatic win was fueled by standout performances, with Christian Graves and Derek Einertson leading the charge. Graves notched five runs, five RBIs, two home runs, and a double, finishing with four hits. Einertson added three runs, three RBIs, a home run, and three walks. Lane Spieker drove in four runs and scored twice, with a homer highlighting his contributions, while Kade Knock chipped in with three runs and two hits.

On the mound, Tyler Nagelbach pitched 3 innings, yielding 5 runs on 5 hits, striking out 3, and walking 2. Alex Neal earned the win, allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits in 3 innings, with 2 strikeouts. Luke Kehrli delivered 2 scoreless innings with 1 strikeout and 2 hits. For Mount Marty, Palmer Jacobs struggled over 1 inning, surrendering 5 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks. Julian Santoyo gave up 2 runs on 1 hit and 3 walks in his inning, while Aspen Dahl allowed 5 runs on 7 hits over 2 2/3 innings, including 3 home runs.

In Game 2, Mount Mercy was edged out by Mount Marty in a thrilling showdown, with a final score of 13-12. An impressive eight-run rally by Mount Mercy in the seventh inning nearly turned the tide in this non-conference clash.

The game kicked off with Mount Marty seizing an early lead. They scored their first run in the opening inning off a passed ball, followed by a two-RBI single from Jaycob Pascuzzi, pushing the score to 3-0. The second inning saw Mount Marty stretch their advantage to 6-0, thanks to a two-RBI single from Tyler Vance and an RBI double by Cooper Mlnarik.

Mount Mercy found their stride in the fifth inning. Lane Spieker and Drew Terpins made their way home due to a fielding error, and Kade Knock added a sacrifice fly to tighten the score to 9-3. The sixth inning featured Nick Meyer driving in Spieker with an RBI single, slicing Mount Marty's lead to 9-4.

The seventh inning was a showcase of Mount Mercy's tenacity. Derek Einertson doubled to kick things off, and a series of walks and a hit-by-pitch brought in two runs. Christian Graves delivered a clutch two-RBI double, propelling Mount Mercy to a temporary 12-10 lead. However, Mount Marty countered with a three-run homer from Tyler Vance, winning by a score of 13-12

Derek Einertson was a standout for Mount Mercy, scoring twice and hitting a double in his three at-bats. Kade Knock impressed with two RBIs, showing patience at the plate despite not recording a hit. Christian Graves notched two hits in three at-bats, including a double, and drove in two runs, highlighting his knack for driving in runners. Lane Spieker crossed home twice and stole two bases, showcasing his speed and ability to reach scoring positions.

On the mound, Kaelen Clarkson pitched 2 innings for Mount Mercy, allowing 3 earned runs on 3 hits, including 2 doubles and a triple, with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. Payton Hodges worked 2 2/3 innings, yielding 4 earned runs on 1 hit, issuing 3 walks, and hitting 2 batters, alongside allowing a home run. Will Schufreider faced challenges in his 2-inning stint, giving up 6 earned runs on 6 hits, with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.

Mount Marty's Kaden Harris delivered a solid 4 1/3 innings, giving up 3 earned runs on 2 hits, with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks, maintaining a WHIP of 0.98. Liam Bates pitched 2 innings, surrendering 6 earned runs on 2 hits and 5 walks, while striking out 4. Aaden Anderson, despite a brief outing, secured the win, allowing 3 earned runs on 1 hit and 3 walks in just 2/3 of an inning.

Mount Mercy will look to rebound as they wrap up the Battle of the Mount against Mount Marty on Monday.