Nightcap late-inning heroics spotlight day one

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Freshman Sydney Struve (FR/Granville, Iowa) (Granville, Iowa) and junior Mykel Gray (JR/Ames, IA) (Ames, Iowa) provided two of many memorable moments during opening day 2021 for National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' No. 20-ranked Morningside College Friday, Feb. 12.

Struve scampered across home plate with the winning run in the home half of the eighth after Gray dropped the ball into left-center field with a single for her second RBI of the contest, allowing head coach Jessica Jones-Sitzmann's squad to knock off National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Minot State University 4-3. The victory wrapped up a 2-0 day during the first section of Presentation College's PC Dome Classic I.

Jones-Sitzmann's team began their stay with a strong offensive, defensive, and pitching trifecta in a 6-0 win over North Star Athletic Association foe Valley City State University. Junior Katherine Wurtz (JR/Omaha, NE) (Omaha, Neb.) and senior Alex Nelson (SR/Sioux Falls, SD) (Sioux Falls, S.D.) locked down the Vikings' offense on just two hits while striking out four. Junior outfielder Elle Cropley (Sioux City, Iowa) gathered two hits and scored a run. In contrast, senior outfielder Carson Cameron (SR/Herman, NE) (Herman, Neb.) tripled and scored. Junior infielder Morgan Nixon (JR/Omaha, NE) (Omaha, Neb.) and sophomore designated hitter Sydney Petersen (SO/Omaha, Neb.) (Omaha, Neb.) each homered as part of an eight-hit attack, too. The Mustangs' defense didn't allow VCSU any openings, either, as they didn't commit an error.

In the nightcap against the Beavers of MSU, Mside managed to dodge a problematic three-error defensive effort and rallied twice to gain the decision. Petersen's bat proved essential again, as she collected two hits, including a double, and scored a run, while Gray drove in two, including the game-winner. Nelson proved critical out of the bullpen for the second successive contest, as she didn't surrender an earned run and struck out two over the final four innings for the triumph.

Mside continues play at the PC Dome Class I Saturday, Feb. 13. They take on the host Saints at 10 a.m. and then battle fellow Great Plains Athletic Conference foe Dordt University at 12 p.m.