Mustangs open '23 with split
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mount Mercy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
|
Buena Vista | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa -- The Mount Mercy softball team opened the 2023 campaign with four games at the Dordt Indoor Classic this weekend, dropping both games of a Friday doubleheader with Northwestern before defeating Dakota Wesleyan and Buena Vista on Saturday at American State Bank Sports Complex.
The Mustangs struggled offensively in a 3-0 loss to the Red Raiders in Friday's opener. Abbey Smith, Grace Cotton, Calli Janik, Natalie Tecklenburg, and Jade Sharp accounted for the team's five hits. All-American right-hander Jayna Witzany got the loss despite a 12-strikeout performance. She gave up a pair of earned runs on four hits while also walking three batters.
Cotton drilled a pinch-hit, solo homer and Sharp and Moenk each drove in a run but it wasn't enough as Northwestern took game two as well, 9-4. Rylee Goodfellow finished with a pair of hits and scored a run. Kalli Minger went 4-2/3 innings, surrendering seven earned runs on 10 hits with two bases on balls. Noelle Enriquez pitched 1-1/3 innings and Megan Steffens an inning of relief.
Mount Mercy dominated Dakota Wesleyan, 9-0, in game one on Saturday. Cotton went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Moenk was 2-for-4 with a run batted in and two runs scored. Smith knocked in three runs and Tecklenburg scored three times in the win. Witzany (1-1) kept the Tiger bats quiet, scattering four hits over seven innings while striking out 10 and walking two.
The Mustangs trailed, 2-0, after five innings against Buena Vista before coming back to get a 5-2 victory. Sam Lee's RBI double, a run-scoring single by Raquel Trolliet, and a two-run double by Moenk sparked a four-run sixth frame. Mount Mercy tacked on an unearned run in the seventh for the final margin. Moenk, Cotton, and Janik all finished with two hits.
Minger started in the circle and threw four innings of five-hit ball with two strikeouts and a pair of walks. The Beavers got both earned runs in the third. Enriquez (1-0) pitched the fifth and Witzany closed it out with two scoreless innings of relief.
The Mustangs (2-2) have four games indoors again next weekend at the St. Ambrose Dome. They will take on Mount Marty at 11:00 am and Aquinas at 3:00 pm on Friday, then face Aquinas again on Saturday at 11:00 am before closing things out against the host Bees at 3:00 pm.