Mustangs End Florida Trip with a Pair of Wins

MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Mount Mercy softball team saw their win streak improve to three games  after sweeping the final doubleheader of the trip to Florida, beating Hannibal-LaGrange 10-2 and taking down Aquinas by a final of 5-0.

Game One

The Mustangs (10-10) saw four different players record at least two RBI's, while Annika Headington would go a perfect 3-3 at the plate in the opening win. In total, seven players on the Mustangs would record an RBI in the win.

Hannibal-LaGrange would start the scoring on a sacrifice in the top of the second, but the Mustangs would strike back in the bottom half of the inning. Allie Polston drove in the first two of the Mustang runs in the game on a two-run shot, scoring Keily Ulatowski. Abbie Smith would follow that up with a two-RBI triple to open the doors on the lead, making it 4-1. Ashley Smith rounded out the scoring in the second inning on a sacrifice fly.

Following a second Hannibal-LaGrange run in the fourth, it was all Mustangs for the rest of the game. Calli Janik doubled in the bottom of the fourth, driving in Raquel Trolliet. Ulatowski added two RBI's of her own on a double in the fourth, scoring Janik and Ashley Smith. In the fifth, Mia Peterson drove in a run on a groundout, and the Mustangs would round out the scoring as Ellie Stember drove in a run on an RBI single.

Kalli Minger earned her fourth win of the season, pitching five innings and just allowing the two runs.

Game Two

The Mustangs were able to avenge two earlier losses to Aquinas, taking down the Saints by a score of 5-0 to round out the trip. The Mustangs were paced on offense by a two-hit, one-RBI performance from Calli Janik, who would end her day 2-4.

Janik would start the scoring in the top of the first, sending a ball over the left field fence to give the Mustangs the lead early. With the bases loaded, Headington drew a walk as Ulatowski made the lead two after the first inning. Natalie Tecklenburg added her name to the scoring sheet on a double to left field, scoring Sarah Heick in the fourth inning. Janik drove in another run on a fielders choice in the seventh, followed by an Ulatowski sacrifice fly to close the game with a 5-0 scoreline.

Alyssa McElvain continued her impressive stretch, pitching a complete game shutout, allowing just one hit and striking out a pair. Sydney Bosgraff was tabbed with the loss, not able to escape the first inning while allowing two earned runs.

The Mustangs will open Heart of America play next weekend on the road at Missouri Valley on Saturday, followed by a doubleheader at Central Methodist on Sunday.