Mustangs outlast no. 9 Bellevue

OMAHA, NEB. – Offense was on display in this afternoon's nine-inning game against Bellevue, who was ranked ninth in the most recent National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics coaches' poll. The Mustangs out-hit and out-lasted the no. 9 bruins, knocking 18 hits in the 14-13 victory.

Jayson Willers and Nick Grajeda led the way at the plate, with three hits each. Hunter Hope, Eddie Brancato, Ryan Kiolbassa, Aiden Bishop, and Alex Calabrese all also had multiple hit games. Hope, Brancato, Calabrese, and Hunter Jenkins all drew walks in the contest, with hope taking three bases on balls and Brancato and Calabrese each taking two. Brancato, Willers, and Grajeda each had a sac fly, while Jenkins had a sacrifice.

Willers had a game-high four RBIs, while Grajeda had three, Brancato, Kiolbassa, and Bishop had two, and Hope knocked in one run. Brancato came around to score three times, while Hope, Calabrese, Jenkins, and Zach Hefty scored twice. Hefty was in as a courtesy runner for the catcher, Willers.

Calabrese was the lone runner to swipe a base in the game, stealing second after walking in the top of the seventh. 

Kai Purdy-Burton threw two scoreless innings as the starter, striking out two and giving up no hits. Calabrese would be lifted from second base to close the door in the ninth, giving up two hits in his 0.2 inning outing as he kept the Bruins off the board and earned the save.

Morningside is back at it this weekend, with a four-game series with Mount Marty scheduled for a 1 p.m. on Saturday at MercyOne Field. The series continues at 1 p.m. on Sunday.