Mustangs Sweep Missouri Valley in Non-Conference Doubleheader

MARSHALL, Mo. — Mount Mercy (19-9) had an impressive showing in their doubleheader against Missouri Valley (2-24), winning the first game 14–6 and shutting out the opposition 7-0 in the second matchup at Wood & Huston Field.

In the first game, the Mustangs racked up 13 hits, including three home runs, while Missouri Valley struggled defensively with seven errors. Both teams remained scoreless in the first inning, but the Mustangs capitalized on errors in the second, with Tommy Taylor scoring after a pinch run, followed by runs from Drew Terpins and Kole Sonnenburg, leveling the score at 3–3. Christian Graves advanced on two wild pitches in the third and scored on Lane Spieker's groundout, while Sam Wiese added a solo home run, pushing Mount Mercy ahead to 5–3.

Mount Mercy widened the gap in the fourth inning when Chase Gerwig scored on Kade Knock's sacrifice fly, and Graves hit a home run to left field, extending the lead to 7–3. The fifth inning saw the Mustangs increase their lead to 11–3, fueled by a single from Gerwig that initiated a flurry of runs.

Missouri Valley attempted a comeback in the sixth inning, narrowing the score to 11–5. However, Mount Mercy responded in the seventh with three more runs, highlighted by another two-run homer from Graves, finalizing the score at 14–6. Missouri Valley added one final run in the seventh, but Mount Mercy clinched the victory.

Graves stood out for the Mustangs with three runs and three RBIs, including two home runs. Wiese contributed a home run and scored twice, while Derek Einertson added two hits, including a double, along with two RBIs. Gerwig scored three times and drove in two more runs, and Sota Suzuki had 2 RBIs with three assists at second base. Masayoshi Hattori impressed with two runs and a double, while Bradley Johnson scored two runs, recorded two hits, stole a base, and made five assists at shortstop.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Mount Mercy's pitching staff dominated, allowing just two hits in a decisive 7-0 victory. The Mustangs' offense got rolling early, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning after a defensive error allowed Kolt Kurzman to reach base and advance to third on a double by Graves. Spieker's groundout brought Kurzman home.

In the third inning, Yahirdavi Ortiz doubled, and after Derek Einertson's single advanced Ortiz to third, Ortiz scored on another groundout by Kurzman, while Einertson came home on a shortstop error, extending the lead to 3-0. The Mustangs added three more runs in the fourth, with DJ Harris scoring on Ortiz's sacrifice fly, and Einertson and Drew Terpins executing a double steal, resulting in Terpins scoring on Kurzman's single. Graves' sacrifice fly brought Einertson home, pushing the lead to 6-0.

Nick Meyer capped the scoring with a solo home run in the fifth inning, bringing the final score to 7-0. Einertson scored two runs and stole two bases, while Kurzman contributed two RBIs. Graves recorded a double and drove in two runs, and Meyer finished with one RBI and one run.

Aidan Bearden and Masayoshi Hattori each contributed one hit, while Wyatt Kemper drew two walks. On the mound, Drake Welch provided 2 innings of scoreless relief, striking out one and allowing no hits.

Mount Mercy's record stands at 19-9, while Missouri Valley falls to 2-24. The Mustangs will face Northwestern at 2 p.m. CT on Tuesday, March 31, in Fort Dodge, Iowa.