Mustangs Knock Off Statesmen, Eagles to Continue Tournament Run

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Mount Mercy's softball team staved off elimination with a 7-4 win over William Penn, then stunned top-seeded Central Methodist, 5-2, to keep their tournament run alive.

Game One
The Mustangs stayed alive in the conference tournament with a 7-4 victory over William Penn in an elimination game.

The Statesmen opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Tori Smith hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Marin Frazee to score. Chelsey Huff followed with an RBI single to center, giving William Penn a 2-0 lead.

The Mustangs responded in the bottom of the first. Calli Janik blasted a solo home run over the left-field fence to cut the lead in half. In the bottom of the second, Ashley Smith singled, scoring Raquel Trolliet to tie the game at 2. Janik added a single to center, bringing in Smith and giving Mount Mercy a 3-2 lead.

The Mustangs added to its lead in the fourth inning. Annika Headington tripled to right field, scoring two runners and extending the lead to 5-2.

After holding the Statesmen scoreless in the fifth, Rylee Goodfellow delivered an inside-the-park home run to right field, padding the Mustangs' lead.

The Statesmen responded in the sixth, as Peyton Naranjo doubled to left field, scoring Ella Pierce to bring the score to 6-3. In the bottom half, the Mustangs tacked on another run with an RBI infield single, extending their lead to 7-3.

The Statesmen's final run came in the seventh. Huff reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Laila Smith for the final 7-4 margin.

Ashley Webb earned the win for the Mustangs, pitching five innings and allowing three runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Alyssa McElvain pitched 1.1 innings in relief, giving up one run on two hits. Maggie McNally closed out the game with two outs and a strikeout to earn the save.

Madie Anderson took the loss for the Statesmen, giving up three runs on five hits in 1.2 innings. Huff pitched 4.1 innings in relief, surrendering four runs on seven hits and striking out four.

Game Two
In a stunning upset, Mount Mercy knocked off No. 1 seed Central Methodist, 5-2, to advance in the tournament's elimination bracket.

The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Maddie Holly singled to center, scoring Elizabeth Palumbo and Joely Crider.

The Mustangs responded in the third. Smith got caught in a rundown, allowing Goodfellow to score and cut the deficit to 2-1.

The game remained scoreless through the next three innings until the Mustangs took over in the seventh. Headington crushed a three-run home run to center field, giving the Mustangs a 4-2 lead. Goodfellow then reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Mia Peterson to score and extend the lead to 5-2.

McNally earned the complete-game win for Mount Mercy, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out four.

Haley Cotter took the loss for the Eagles, pitching 6.2 innings and giving up five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.

Mount Mercy will face Benedictine on Saturday, May 3, at 2:30 p.m.