SIOUX CITY, IOWA – A 2-1 walkoff win in game one opened the door for a 6-3 followup as the Mustangs swept Hastings in their opening series at Jensen Softball Complex.
The Mustangs got on the board in the fourth inning, with Hastings matching the effort in the top of the fifth. It wasn’t until the eighth inning that another run would cross, as a single to center field by Paige Schuster put the winning runner aboard. Morgan Secora, who threw the complete game, helped her own cause, punching a double into left center and moving Schuster to third. Kennedy Wineland sent a single into center, allowing Shuster to cross and giving Morningside the win.
The home team tallied 10 hits in the opener, with Wineland, Secora, and Mackenzi Harrel all collecting two apiece. An Ellie Gengler triple drove in Emma Barwick for the game’s first run, and Lainie Keller joined Secora with doubles in the contest.
In the circle, Secora scattered six hits across the eight frames, collecting the complete game win with a pair of strikeouts.
Morningside was first on the board again in the nightcap, posting three runs in the first three frames. Hastings got three across the plate in the fourth, but the Mustangs quickly answered with a crooked number of their own before both teams went scoreless for the remaining innings.
Harrel, Gengler, and Secora all had multi-hit games, with Harrel and Secora collecting two RBIs and Gengler collecting another. Jenna Skradski, Mackenna Sidzyik, Harrel, Gengler, Ali Fletcher, and Secora all crossed the plate in the contest.
Braden Biddlecome collected the win as she toed the rubber for four innings, giving up six hits and a pair of earned runs. Maggie Fisher took over for three scoreless innings and the save.
The Mustangs travel to Crete, Neb. on Saturday, playing Doane in a noon doubleheader.
