Mustangs prevail over Vikings in extras

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- For the second time in less than a week, the Mount Mercy softball team beat 10th-ranked Grand View but this time the stakes were higher as the third-seeded Mustangs moved on in the winner's bracket of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Softball Championship with a 5-1 victory on Friday at Busse Field.

The game was scoreless through two innings until Sam Lee singled to right center, scoring Jade Sharp from second base for the 1-0 lead. The Mustangs recorded a hit in each the first three innings, chasing second-seeded Grand View's Hannah Pals after just three innings pitched. Witzany scattered a pair of hits through six, but the Vikings strung together two hits in the seventh to send the game to extra innings tied at 1-1.

With the game tied, Grand View (42-9) elected to bring back Pals, but Mount Mercy responded right away with back-to-back singles from Lee and Michelle Mack. An uncharacteristic error by the Vikings allowed Lee to score all the way from second with the go ahead run. Then, Allie Poston drew a walk, setting up a clutch, two-out, bases-clearing double off the bat of Natalie Tecklenburg for the 5-1 lead. Witzany retired the Vikings in order in the eighth for the win.

Lee paced the Mustangs, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Tecklenburg was 1-for-3 with three runs driven in. Witzany (22-3) shined in the circle, pitching a four-hit, one-run complete game with nine strikeouts and no walks.

Mount Mercy (34-17) and top-seeded Central Methodist (37-4) face off in game 11 of the tournament on Saturday at noon.