Morningside Opens the GPAC Tourney with a 2-0 Day in Sioux Center
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – A 2-0 day put Morningside in the metaphorical driver’s seat in Dordt’s pod of the Great Plains Athletic Conference Softball Tournament, as the Mustangs toppled Concordia 5-4 and Dordt 2-0 to advance to tomorrow’s pod championship game, with two losses needed to end the Mustangs’ tournament.
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SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – A 2-0 day put Morningside in the metaphorical driver's seat in Dordt's pod of the Great Plains Athletic Conference Softball Tournament, as the Mustangs toppled Concordia 5-4 and Dordt 2-0 to advance to tomorrow's pod championship game, with two losses needed to end the Mustangs' tournament.
A five-run third inning allowed Morningside to make up an early deficit to the Bulldogs, with Amber Dougherty starting the inning for the Mustangs with a walk. Mackenzi Harrel and Adeline Fliege followed with a pair of singles to load the bases, where a Josie Hernandez single would put Morningside on the board. Bralen Biddlecome placed a sac fly in right field, advancing the runners and scoring Harrel.
Macanna Guritz reloaded the bases as she worked the count to draw a walk, when Jenna Skradski singled to score Hernandez and Fliege and advance Guritz to third. Skradski took second on the play to put both runners in scoring position before Emma Barwick walked to reload the bases. Dougherty, the Mustang that started the inning, singled up the middle, advancing the runners and scoring Guritz before Skradski was called out at the plate.
Adeline Fliege got the start in the contest, but was lifted after three innings with the balance of the season on the line after giving up three runs and striking out three. Morgan Secora finished out the game, giving up one run in four innings with three strikeouts of her own.
Secora got the call again as the Mustangs faced the pod's top seed, Dordt. The senior was effective in the circle, throwing seven innings of shutout softball, striking out three more batters while scattering five hits and tossing just 88 pitches.
Dordt's defense gave up two one-run innings, as Morningside played small ball to score Amber Dougherty on a sacrifice bunt in the first. Harrel crossed the plate in the fourth inning, scoring on a Hernandez single.
The Mustangs advance to tomorrow's second game, with a win advancing them to the GPAC championship series for the second year in a row. Morningside's contest will be played against the winner of Dordt and Concordia at approximately 2 p.m. tomorrow.