Mustangs Battle Back to Earn Split at Peru State

PERU, Neb. — Mount Mercy University (8-17, 3-4) faced a challenging doubleheader against Peru State College (5-11, 1-6) at Centennial Complex on Sunday. In the first game, Mount Mercy fell to the Bobcats in a tightly contested 1–0 defeat, while they rebounded in the second game to clinch a 6-4 victory.

GAME ONE

In the first game, Mount Mercy's defense held firm through five innings, keeping the game scoreless. However, a sixth-inning solo shot by Reagan Wiehe of Peru State sealed the win for the home team. The game showcased strong defensive efforts from both teams, with the Mustangs unable to overcome the Bobcats after Wiehe's home run gave them a 1–0 lead.

Kennedy Daugherty stood out with two hits and a caught stealing for Mount Mercy. Jade Hynek added a hit and swiped a base, while Ashley Smith contributed with a hit and a stolen base. Addie Gralund pitched a complete game, allowing five hits and recording four strikeouts over six innings.

For Peru State, Wiehe delivered the game-winning home run, achieving an OPS of 1.667. Melanie Hughes shone on the mound, pitching a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts and maintaining a WHIP of 0.86. Casidy Sipek impressed with a 2-for-2 performance, including a walk and an OPS of 2.000, alongside a defensive assist and a caught stealing.

Gralund's complete game saw her allow five hits and one earned run, with four strikeouts over six innings. Hughes' dominant display included seven scoreless innings, earning the win with 10 strikeouts and just five hits allowed.

GAME TWO

In the second game, Mount Mercy turned the tide, clinching a 6-4 win, thanks to a game-changing fourth inning where they scored all six runs. Peru State initially took the lead with Casidy Sipek's run-scoring single and Kaylee Spreer's two-RBI triple, giving them a 3-0 advantage in the second inning.

Mount Mercy answered back in the fourth inning, starting with Ashley Smith leading off with a single, stealing second, and scoring on Megan Harrison's sacrifice fly. Kendra Mescher delivered a crucial double to drive in two runs, followed by Mia Petersen's RBI single.

Smith came up big again with her second single of the inning, allowing Petersen to score. Jade Hynek drew a bases-loaded walk to cap off the inning, putting the Mustangs ahead 6-3.

Peru State narrowed the gap in the fifth with a sacrifice fly from Reagan Wiehe, but Mount Mercy's defense held strong. Ava Hahn closed the game, pitching the final innings without allowing further runs, securing the 6-4 victory for the Mustangs.

Smith led the Mustangs with three hits, one RBI, and three stolen bases. Mescher's double brought in two runs, complemented by six assists in the field. Petersen contributed two hits, one RBI, and three assists from second base. Hahn was stellar on the mound, pitching 3 2/3 innings with two strikeouts and earning a save without allowing any earned runs.

For the Bobcats in the second game, Sipek shone with three hits and one RBI, boasting a 2.000 OPS. Spreer added a triple and two RBIs, maintaining an OPS of 1.333. Emma Downing also made her mark, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a 1.333 OPS.

Hahn's performance was pivotal, with a WHIP of 0.94 over 3 2/3 innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out two. Maggie McNally pitched 3 1/3 innings, conceding six hits and three earned runs.

For the Bobcats, Sage Isaacs took the loss after 3 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits, with three strikeouts and two walks. Melanie Hughes impressed in relief with 3 1/3 innings, striking out seven despite allowing two earned runs.

The Mustangs now hold an overall record of 8-17 and are 3-4 in conference play, while the Bobcats are at 5-11 with a 1-6 conference record.

Next up, Mount Mercy will face Benedictine on Saturday, March 28, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.