Late-inning rallies thwart second day of Missouri trip

JOPLIN, MO. – Morningside College ended a two-day visit to the Show-Me State Saturday, Feb. 22, with a .500 record.

A day after picking up wins over the University of St. Mary of Kansas and William Penn University, the drive for an unbeaten slate eluded head coach Adam Boeve's crew. Dropping to 6-8, the Mustangs were victimized by sixth-inning outbursts by Culver-Stockton College of Missouri and Graceland University of Iowa. CSC posted eight runs in their frame of the opener breaking up a close-knit 7-3 score en route to a 15-6 final, and GU struck for two in their sixth inning opportunity to hold off the Maroon 7-6.

Despite the pair of defeats, offensive highlights abounded for Mside. Junior Carter Kratz (JR/Vermillion, SD) (Vermillion, S.D.) and senior Sam Huska (SR/Windom, MN) (Windom, Minn.) both drove in two runs against Culver-Stockton, and junior Adam Carlson (JR/Baldwin City, KS) (Baldwin City, Kan.) and freshman Eddie Brancato (FR/Arlington Heights, IL) (Arlington Heights, Ill.) each homered versus Graceland. Huska, concluding a strong three-for-six, two runs scored day, also tallied two safeties against the Yellowjackets.

Morningside is back in action Wednesday, Feb. 26, taking on North Star Athletic Association foe Mayville State University. First pitch at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., is 5 a.m.