Mustangs' trip shortened due to rain

OWENSBORO, Kent. - The Mount Mercy softball team's final stop of their Spring Break trip with Brescia (Kent.) on Friday, March 17 has been cancelled due to heavy rainfall in the area. The Mustangs were able to get all of their other games in with third-ranked Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) and Cumberland (Tenn.) on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Jayna Witzany and Brittany Adair of Freed-Hardeman each threw five scoreless innings in the first game on Tuesday. The Lady Lions were finally able to get to Witzany in the sixth and scored three. The Mustangs couldn't push a run across in the final inning. Makenna Moenk collected both hits for Mount Mercy. Witzany went the distance allowing three runs on four hits, while striking out five. 

In game two, Freed-Hardeman (9-4) plated one in the first two innings to take an early lead. The Lady Lion's pitcher, Chloe Winters, picked up where Adair left off in the previous game, only allowing the Mustangs to muster one hit. Allie Poston broke up the no-hitter with a lead-off single in the top of the seventh and Calli Janik followed with a walk, but Freed-Hardeman got out of the jam. Kalli Minger pitched six strong innings, scattering six hits on three runs. 

The first game with Cumberland was almost a mirror image of Witzany's last outing. Neither team could get any offense going through four innings. The Phoenix strung together three of their six hits in the bottom of the fifth to score the lone run of the game. Mount Mercy had runners on in five of the seven innings, but couldn't push any across the plate. Rylee Goodfellow was 2-for-3 at the dish to lead the Mustangs. Moenk, Grace Cotton, Sam Lee, and Ashley Smith recorded the other four hits for Mount Mercy. Witzany (6-3) struck out nine in six innings of work, giving up just one run on six hits. 

The Phoenix jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second game, but Mount Mercy leveled the game two innings later. Natalie Tecklenburg's lead-off single started the rally. Two batter's later, Ash. Smith doubled to right field, putting two runners in scoring position. Goodfellow stayed hot the plate and drove in two with a single up the middle to tie the game. Cumberland (12-6) responded in their half of the fifth, taking advantage of a walk and wild pitch coupled with two singles to take back the lead 3-2. The Phoenix shut the Mustang offense down over the final two innings to complete the sweep. 

Mount Mercy's non-conference doubleheader on Sunday, March 19 with Concordia (Neb.) has also been cancelled due to cold weather. The Mustangs (9-8) will be back in action on Tuesday, March 21 for their home opener against Iowa Wesleyan (4-13). First pitch of the doubleheader is at 4:00 pm at Busse Field.