Mustangs Take One of Two to Conclude Road Swing

SHAWNEE, Kan. — Mount Mercy Mustangs faced a challenging day on Saturday, first falling to the Concordia Bulldogs 7-2 before bouncing back to defeat the Bethany College Swedes 13-5 in a strong showing later in the day.

GAME ONE

In their opener against Concordia (7-6), Mount Mercy (4-11) managed five hits, including a late home run, but struggled to recover from a five-run third inning by the Bulldogs. The game began with an exciting second inning as Ashley Smith ripped a triple to right field, scoring when Kennedy Daugherty was caught stealing to tie the game at 1-1.

However, Concordia responded with a five-run rally in the third, capped off by a three-run blast from Taryn Ganstrom, pushing their lead to 6-1. They added another run in the fifth with a single from Grace Zaugg, extending the lead to 7-1. The Mustangs' last spark came in the seventh inning when Calli Janik launched a home run to right field, bringing their final score to 7-2.

Janik finished the game with a home run, an RBI, and a run scored, while Smith contributed two hits, including a triple, and crossed the plate once. Mia Petersen added a hit and showcased her defensive prowess with four assists at second base, and Kendra Mescher excelled in the field with five assists at shortstop.

Ganstrom led the Bulldogs with a stellar performance, earning a home run, three RBIs, and three hits, along with scoring twice. Mary Beth Hart had a solid outing with two hits, including a double, and scored a run. On the mound, Kaylei Denison pitched a complete game, striking out nine while allowing just two earned runs.

GAME TWO

In their second game of the day, the Mustangs turned the tide against the Swedes, delivering a 16-hit performance and capitalizing on four Bethany errors. Mount Mercy opened the game explosively with a nine-run first inning, beginning with a shortstop error that allowed Calli Janik to score. Lilly Wuethrich followed, crossing the plate on the same play.

Ashley Smith kept the momentum going with an RBI single before Kennedy Daughtery hit a three-run homer, bringing home Jade Hynek and As. Smith. The scoring continued with Abbey Smith doubling to score Kendra Mescher, and Janik's single plated two more runs, ending the first inning with a commanding 9-2 lead.

The Swedes attempted to rally in the fourth inning, with Ulissa Rivas hitting a three-run homer to narrow the gap to 9-5. However, the Mustangs put the game out of reach in the fifth, scoring four more runs, highlighted by Daughtery's sacrifice fly that brought in Hynek. Mount Mercy finished with a decisive 13-5 victory.

Daughtery led the charge with four RBIs and a home run, while Ashley Smith collected four hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Janik contributed three hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Rivas was the standout for Bethany, driving in three runs with her homer. On the mound, Maggie McNally worked through five innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs while striking out three batters.

Mount Mercy University is now set to host Midamerica Nazarene on Saturday, March 14, at 2 and 4 p.m. at Busse Field in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.