Mustangs Take Two of Three in Rare Tripleheader

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Mount Mercy baseball team had a mixed bag of results in their three games against Dakota State, bringing their overall record to 9-8.

In game 1, Mount Mercy triumphed over Dakota State with an 8-4 victory, thanks to a dominant seven-run second inning. The Mustangs racked up 11 hits and took advantage of five walks to seal the deal. The action began when Dakota State took an early lead, scoring two runs off an error and a double. However, Mount Mercy responded forcefully in the bottom half. Sam Wiese doubled, followed by singles from Nick Meyer and Drew Terpins, loading the bases. DJ Harris delivered a crucial single to right field, driving in two runs. Nash Clementz added a groundout that brought in another run, and Chase Gerwig's single brought in one more. Lane Spieker capped the rally with a three-run homer, putting the Mustangs ahead 7-2 after two innings.

In the third inning, the Trojans managed to close the gap slightly with two runs from a double by Cameron Kittridge, but the Mustangs held their lead at 7-4. Mount Mercy extended their advantage in the fifth inning with singles from Terpins, Harris, and Clementz, leading to Derek Einertson's sacrifice fly that brought Harris home, making the final score 8-4.

Spieker's performance was pivotal, recording one home run and three RBIs. Harris contributed with two hits, two RBIs, and scored twice, while Gerwig added two hits, a run, and two stolen bases. Jack Turgasen pitched six solid innings, striking out five and earning the win. For Dakota State, Kittridge had three hits, including two doubles and three RBIs, while Cameron DeMaria scored twice.

In game 2, Mount Mercy claimed a commanding 9-3 win over Dakota State, moving to a 9-7 record. The Mustangs' offense set the tone early with a six-run rally in the second inning. After a quiet first inning, DJ Harris was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on Nash Clementz's sacrifice bunt, and reached third on Chase Gerwig's single. Gerwig then stole second, setting up Derek Einertson's RBI single that brought Harris home. Kade Knock followed with a double, scoring Gerwig, and Lane Spieker added to the momentum with a two-RBI double. Sam Wiese rounded out the explosive inning with an RBI single, making it 6-0.

Dakota State answered back in the third inning with a run from Connor Raney on Aidan Perry's RBI single, followed by Cameron DeMaria's two-run homer, narrowing the gap to 6-3. Mount Mercy widened the lead again in the fifth with a series of hits and walks, capped off by Drew Terpins' two-RBI single, extending the score to 9-3.

Einertson had a standout day with three hits, including a double and an RBI. Knock added two hits, scoring twice, while Spieker contributed with two runs and two RBIs. For Dakota State, DeMaria shone with a home run and two RBIs, while Perry contributed with two hits.

In game 3, Mount Mercy fell to Dakota State with a final score of 12-3. The Mustangs took an early lead in the first inning with Derek Einertson's single setting the stage for Lane Spieker's two-run homer. However, Dakota State answered back, taking the lead and extending it throughout the game.

The Mustangs managed to add another run in the fifth inning when Einertson scored on Spieker's single, but Dakota State's offense exploded in the sixth inning, scoring five runs and securing a 12-3 victory. Spieker recorded a solo home run and three RBIs, while Einertson scored twice and showcased his speed with two stolen bases.

For Dakota State, Cameron DeMaria excelled with a home run, driving in four runs, while Aidan Marsh also contributed significantly with a home run and four RBIs. Aidan Perry was perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored. On the mound, Max Woll delivered a solid performance, allowing three earned runs over five innings.

Looking ahead, Mount Mercy will host St. Ambrose at home, with the game scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday, March 10, at the Plaster Athletic Complex.