Mustangs win finale, but Eagles take 3-of-4 in weekend series

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Mount Mercy baseball team played their toughest competition of the season thus far, facing off against ninth-ranked Central Methodist in a Heart of America Athletic Conference cross-division series over the weekend. The Mustangs dropped the first three games, 4-2, 8-5, and 6-5, before a big 12-3 win over the Eagles at the Robert W. Plaster Athletic Complex.

Starting pitchers Nick Merkel and Kobey Schlotman made it difficult for both lineups in Saturday's opener. The Eagles scored in the second to get on top early, 1-0, but the Mustangs answered in the fourth. Kaimana Souza-Paaluhi led off with a single followed by a Kyle Moeder triple to right center to level the game. Brett Swalve hit a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Mount Mercy a 2-1 lead after Moeder scored. Two singles and a sacrifice bunt from Central Methodist tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth. Both Merkel and Schlotman recorded two strikeouts in the seventh, holding each team scoreless to force extra innings. Jacob Lodge (2-2) relieved Schlotman in the eighth and recorded back-to-back outs to start the frame, but after an intentional walk followed by a single and a double, the Eagles were able to plate two for the 4-2 lead. Merkel retired the Mustangs in order in the bottom of the frame and finished with 12 strikeouts. Schlotman struck out 11 batters as well. Moeder finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.

Central Methodist stayed hot to start game two, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. Mount Mercy got on the board in the third when Evan Paulus singled to score Tyler Dahm. But the Eagles had an answer again, scoring three in the fourth to chase Nathan Pardini (4-1). Sam Stonskas responded with a solo home run in the bottom of the frame. Later that inning a Souza-Paaluhi single scored Dahm, making the deficit 6-3 at the end of four. After two scoreless innings of relief by Tyler Stern, Central Methodist added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. In the bottom of the inning, Souza-Paaluhi and Paulus each went deep but the comeback came up short. Souza-Paaluhi was 4-for-4 with an RBI and one run scored while Paulus and Stonskas had two hits each, respectively.

When the series resumed on Sunday, Mount Mercy again found themselves playing from behind after a five-run second inning by Central Methodist chased Jackson Bennett (0-1) after just 1-2/3 innings of work. The Mustangs chipped away though, scoring one in the fourth, fifth, and sixth. A run-scoring single by Stonskas plated David Mitchell in the fourth, Swalve had a sac fly in the fifth to bring home Souza-Paaluhi, and Moeder's RBI double in the sixth plated Stonskas. Swalve and Casey Sole drew back-to-back walks and Dalton Hews got hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs and the Mustangs trailing 6-3 in the seventh. The Eagle lead was down to one after a fielder's choice and another sac fly, but Central Methodist managed to escape the Mount Mercy threat for the second-straight game and take a 3-0 series lead.  Andrue Henry pitched 5-1/3 innings in relief, allowing one earned run on three hits while striking out six. Souza-Paaluhi went 3-for-3 with a run scored and Stonskas had two RBI.

For the fourth time in the series, Central Methodist (30-7, 16-4 Heart) scored first, but Mount Mercy's offensive came alive, scoring four runs in the third and six in the fifth en route to the 12-3 win. The Mustangs forced the Eagles to use four pitchers, the most they used all series. Joe Gabel (3-1) went five strong innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits. Kale Orman tossed two innings of scoreless ball while giving up just one hit. All nine starters for Mount Mercy recorded at least one hit, with the team totaling 12. Souza-Paaluhi and Stonskas led the way with two apiece. Paulus homered for the second time this season, scored two runs, and drove in four.

Mount Mercy (22-12, 12-6) hosts St. Ambrose on Tuesday, April 12, for a non-conference, nine-inning contest at the Plaster Athletic Complex. First pitch comes your way at 5:00 pm.