Baseball splits rescheduled doubleheader with Lancers

YANKTON, S.D. –  The Mustangs made their second trip to Yankton this season after the second half of a four-game series with Mount Marty was postponed due to weather, and the two sides split the Tuesday doubleheader.

Morningside scored first in game one, but the Lancers ran away with a 15-4 win. Morningside responded by winning game two 7-4. 

Jacob O'Dell hit a two-run single in the second inning of game one to give the Mustangs a 2-0 advantage. After the Lancers scored six in the third, two more runs came in on a base hit from Brian Garcia in the fourth. Mount Marty responded with seven more in the fourth and two in the fifth to take the 15-4 advantage and the victory.

Cade Nolan had two hits and scored a run for the Mustangs. Aiden Bishop scored twice in the loss. Nolan pitched two strong innings to start the game, not allowing a run.

Mount Marty struck first in the second inning of game two, but Morningside scored three in the third to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Garcia singled home the first run, and Jayson Willers walked in the second. With the bases loaded, Ryan Kiolbassa hit into a fielder's choice, but Garcia was able to score on the play to make it 3-1.

Morningside knocked in four in the sixth, none of them coming on base hits. Bishop hit into a fielder's choice to score the first of the inning. Kiolbassa scored on a wild pitch, and two more came across home plate on an error by a ball put in play by Nick Grajeda. The Lancers tried to make things interesting by scoring two in the sixth to make it 7-4. 

Kiolbassa had two hits in the win. Morningside finished with six hits and seven runs scored. Nolan scored twice. Bishop had the start on the mound for Morningside, going three innings and striking out three. Conner Maston followed Bishop up with two strong innings of his own, striking out three more. Logan Warkentin added three more strikeouts as he finished the game on the mound.

The Mustangs have four games on the docket for this weekend as they play host to Concordia Saturday and Sunday. Both doubleheaders are scheduled for 1 p.m. starts, and Sunday is Senior Day for the Mustangs.