Balanced attack allows Mustangs to wrap up unbeaten weekend

ABERDEEN, S.D. – The trio of sophomore Lisa Bolton (SO/American Canyon, CA) (American Canyon, Calif.), junior Katherine Wurtz (JR/Omaha, NE) (Omaha, Neb.), and senior Alex Nelson (SR/Sioux Falls, SD) (Sioux Falls, S.D.) played a pivotal role in helping send National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' No. 20-ranked Morningside to a pair of wins Saturday, Feb. 13.

They all starred in the circle for head coach Jessica Jones-Sitzmann's squad inside Presentation College's Dome Classic I final day. Bolton cruised behind a five-inning one-hitter that featured nine strikeouts, a new personal single-game career-high as part of a 10-0, five-inning triumph over the host Saints. It was more of the same in game two, as an early-season Great Plains Athletic Conference non-conference battle between the Mustangs and Dordt University went the way of the Maroon by a 6-0 count. Wurtz and Nelson, splendid in the opener against Valley City State University, returned with similar results, holding the Defenders to just two hits and struck out six.

However, they were just part of the story.

The Mustangs' offense was just as efficient. Mside, improving to 4-0, piled up 12 hits on the tourney hosts led by the top three spots in the order. Junior outfielder Ellie Cropley (JR/Sioux City, IA) (Sioux City, Iowa) doubled three times, senior outfielder Carson Cameron (SR/Herman, NE) (Herman, Neb.) doubled and drove in two runs, and junior designated hitter Breanna Tjebben (FR/Fort Dodge, Iowa) (Fort Dodge, Iowa) crushed a home run in the span. In game two, Jones-Sitzmann's squad produced 11 hits. Again, the top half of the lineup provided plenty of punch, with Cropley and Tjebben each homering and combining for six hits, four runs scored, and three RBI. Sophomore infielder Taylor Richter (SO/Rock Valley, IA) (Rock Valley, Iowa) also had a multiple-hit outing against Dordt with two doubles.

Morningside returns to the PC Dome for the Classic II Friday and Saturday, Feb. 19 and 20. They'll match-up against VCSU for a second successive weekend, and fellow North Star Athletic Association foes Mayville State University, Dakota State University, and Dickinson State University.