Timely Hitting Helps Mustangs Collect Weekend Series Sweep

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Morningside struck for another pair of Great Plains Athletic Conference softball wins on the first full day of spring, working under clear skies as it beat Doane 4-2 and 6-5.

Adeline Fleige helped herself in the pitching circle as she provided an offensive spark for Morningside in the bottom of the second inning, blasting a home run over the left field fence. The sophomore would score again as Macanna Guritz drove in Jenna Skradski and the pitcher with a single in the third inning to open up a 4-0 lead for the Mustangs before Doane's Tigers scratched across a pair of runs in the sixth inning.

Fleige backed Morningside's offense with a strong appearance on the rubber, giving up just five hits, two runs, and a walk while striking out six. Josie Hernandez had four putouts and four assists to back her pitcher, Guritz had six putouts and one assist, and Jalyn Noelle had three putouts and an assist.

Morningside had to mount a comeback in game two of the doubleheader, as Doane put up four runs in the fourth inning.

The Mustangs got one run back in the fourth as Fleige singled to left field, but moved to third on a misplay by the left fielder. Bralen Biddlecome, who started the game as the DP and moved to the pitcher's circle, drove her in with a sacrifice fly.

Morningside found the opportunity it was looking for in the fifth inning, when Mackenzi Harrel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in a run. Fleige found another opportunity in the outfield and hit another bases-clearing single, moving to third on the error, scoring Amber Dougherty, Noelle, and Harrel to take the lead. Biddlecome then laced a double down the right field line, scoring Fleige and helping her own cause.

Biddlecome gave up four hits and a pair of earned runs in her 3.2 innings in the circle, adding a walk and a strikeout on her way to the win. Noelle backed her pitcher with nine putouts and an assist, while Skradski added six assists at shortstop.

Morningside's next outing comes on Thursday as the Mustangs play another pair of GPAC contests at Concordia beginning at 5 p.m.