Picture of Perfection – Buffington crafts sublime outing

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Sixty-eight pitches … 21 up, 21 down.

As fans departed Jensen Family Softball Complex Saturday, March 26, those were the three thoughts at the front of their minds. Freshman Grace Buffington (Gretna, Neb.), tabulating her fourth straight win in the circle for head coach Jessica Jones-Sitzmann's squad, kept visiting University of Jamestown off balance and then some in the nightcap of a Great Plains Athletic Conference doubleheader. 

Striking out three Jimmies batters and taking advantage of a stout defensive effort, Buffington posted the program's first perfect game since 2016. She also ran her scoreless string to 25 successive innings to help guide the Mustangs to a split in their home and league opener.

As the freshman shut down the visiting offense in historic proportions, Mside's offense got going early. The difference was a two-run first coupled with four more scores in the fifth. Senior shortstop Lexie Stolen (Sioux City, Iowa) looped a two-run single down the left-field line with another two-run safety off the bat of sophomore Kennedee Jones (Ankeny, Iowa) to break the game open in the fifth.

Jamestown toppled the Mustangs 4-1 in the opener behind a seven-strikeout performance from reigning GPAC Pitcher of the Year Kat Miska. She outdueled another Kat, this one senior Katherine Wurtz (Omaha, Neb.). Wurtz kept her teammates as close as possible, stranding seven in a complete-game effort. Senior infielder Morgan Nixon (Omaha, Neb.) doubled home a run to top the offense.

Morningside (13-7, 1-1 GPAC) begins four in a row on the road Tuesday, March 29. First pitch against College of Saint Mary Tuesday, March 29, is 3 p.m.