Mside toppled in four-game GPAC, Heart of America spring starter

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Sophomore outfielder Michael Boomgarden (SO/Yuba City, Calif.) (Yuba City, Calif.) and freshman outfielder Hunter Hope (FR/Sioux City, Iowa) led Morningside College's offense Sunday and Monday, Feb. 21 and 22.

Boomgarden made the most of his first chances in a Mustangs uniform at US Bank Stadium against Mount Mercy University. He went three-for-six, scored two runs, and drove in one while producing hits in three of the four contests. Hope added four hits in the set, including a three-for-three, one-run-scored, three-RBI, one-double effort in the second meeting. Senior infielder Jordan Pierce (SR/Carlisle, Iowa) (Carlisle, Iowa) was also a boon to head coach Adam Boeve's bunch, picking up safeties in all four games. He laced three doubles and drove in three runs in the span.

Despite those efforts, the two days were all the eastern Iowa version of the Mustangs. Mount Mercy claimed 11-1, 17-8, 7-2, and 6-0 victories for the non-conference sweep. Freshman Zak Scott (FR/Mapleton, Iowa) (Mapleton, Iowa) topped what otherwise was a tough beginning to the pitching staff's spring. He managed to blank the white-hot MMU offense in two appearances, going three innings in which he struck out five and allowed only one hit.

Morningside (2-7) looks to turn around its fortunes with a scheduled four-game set at Kansas Wesleyan University Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 27 and 28.