Mustangs win three of four over the weekend

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa / CANTON, Mo. - In a unique weekend with both home and away Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheaders, the Mount Mercy softball team picked up a couple of shutouts and a come-from-behind, extra inning victory before dropping the final game. On Friday, the Mustangs beat William Penn 7-0 and 5-4. Mount Mercy then traveled to Culver-Stockton (Mo.), splitting with the Wildcats, winning 6-0 and losing 9-4.

Jayna Witzany surrendered a lead-off hit, but only allowed two more over the duration of the game, scattering just three hits on 13 strikeouts and no walks. The Mustangs had two big innings scoring three in the second and four in the sixth, giving Witzany more than enough run support. Natalie Tecklenburg, Raquel Trolliet, Jade Sharp, and Abbey Smith each collected two hits, while Tecklenburg, Ab. Smith, and Ashley Smith drove in two runs apiece.

The Statesmen struck first in the second game, scoring two in the first and second innings, taking a 4-2 lead. After a rocky start, Kalli Minger settled in and kept William Penn scoreless over the final five innings she pitched, allowing Mount Mercy to get back in the game. Despite a runner reaching base every inning, the Mustangs weren't able to tack on any runs until the fifth. Trolliet drew a lead-off walk followed by a Sam Lee single to left. An error by the right fielder plated Trolliet and two batters later Lee scored on a pinch-hit, single from Keily Ulatowski to level the game. Neither team recorded a hit in the sixth and seventh setting up extra innings. Witzany replaced Minger in the eighth, retiring the Statesmen in order, but William Penn (12-22, 5-9 Heart) did the same to Mount Mercy in the bottom half. With two outs in the ninth, Lee's triple to right center scored Trolliet for the come-from-behind win in comeback fashion. Trolliet finished 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI. Tecklenburg, Lee, and Rylee Goodfellow each added two hits. 

Witzany picked up where she left on Saturday, throwing her 20th-straight inning of scoreless softball. She held Culver-Stockton (12-24, 5-9 Heart) to just three hits while striking out nine and walking one. She picked up her third win of the weekend, improving to 12-4 on the season with a 0.81 earned-run average. Mount Mercy used a four-run second highlighted by hits from Ulatowski, Trolliet, Lee, and Sharp. A double steal by Tecklenburg and Sharp made it 4-0. Allie Poston capped off the scoring with her fourth home run in the sixth, making it 6-0. 

A three-run bomb from Calli Janik saw the Mustangs go up 3-0 in the first inning of game two. The Wildcats stormed back, using a home run of their own to score six in the bottom of the first. Piper Brant replaced Minger (3-7) to record the final out of the first. Brant went on to pitch rest of the game, striking out five and giving up three runs. Despite only being out-hit by two, Mount Mercy could not climb out of the deficit, dropping their final game of the weekend. Makenna Moenk tallied three hits and Tecklenburg two. 

Mount Mercy (18-11, 7-3 Heart) now has an eight-game home stand at Busse Field starting on Wednesday, April 12 as they host Clarke (9-14, 3-5 Heart) in a Heart doubleheader. First pitch comes your way at 4:00 pm.