Mustangs survive and advance in GPAC tourney play

SEWARD, NEB. – The Mustangs entered day two of the 2023 Great Plains Athletic Conference baseball tournament needing to win to continue playing as they mashed up with Northwestern. Morningside swept the Raiders during the regular season, coming out on top again today in a 5-4 contest. 

Morningside then advanced in the elimination bracket pairing with Midland for the second time in the tournament, where the Mustangs won 9-6.

Aiden Bishop was hot at the plate in the day's opening recording three hits, including a triple, for an RBI. Eddie Brancato and Ryan Kiolbassa each had two hits, both recording a double in their trips to the plate. Brancato was joined by Jayson Willers, Alex Calabrese, and Brian Garcia to account for four runs batted in.

The Mustangs executed at the plate, dropping a sacrifice and utilizing the sac fly to advance runners, and on the basepaths, as Zach Hefty and Kiolbassa each had a stolen base.

Kai Purdy-Burton pitched a 4.2 inning no decision, giving up four runs. Josh Thurman got the win, working 3.2 innings scoreless innings with five strikeouts, and Logan Warkentin recorded his fourth save of the season striking out two for .2 innings of work.

Morningside moved on to the Midland rematch, giving up two runs in each of the first three innings before settling down. The Mustangs got one run back in the second inning before hanging a three-spot on the board in the fourth, getting an additional run across in the fifth before a Hunter Jenkins bomb in the sixth inning to tie the game.

The Mustangs blew the game open in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Willers and Calabrese combined for a pair of homers. Calbrese' big fly came with a runner on, scoring three before the side was retired. 

Cade Nolan came back on for the top of the ninth, recording two outs before Josh Pratt came in and slammed the door for his second save of the season. Nolan threw 6.2 innings in relief of Bishop and collected the win, holding Midland to one run and striking out 10. 

Willers was one of six Mustangs with multi-hit games, leading the way with three. Brancato, Kiolbassa, Calabrese, Carter Ades, and Elijah Rude each had two hits in the contest. Kiolbassa had three RBIs, Calabrese and Willers each had two, and Garcia and Jenkins had one apiece. Bishop added another triple to his stats in the contest.

Morningside advances to tomorrow's bracket championship at noon, where it will play Concordia. If the Mustangs come out on top in the noon game, they would force another game between the two teams, as the Bulldogs are still undefeated in tournament play.