League sweep moves Mustangs up standings

SIOUX CITY – Amid a rough patch that featured three straight defeats and five losses in its last six outings, Morningside University needed a power surge Tuesday, April 12. 

In Great Plains Athletic Conference action, head coach Jessica Jones-Sitzmann's squad got that in spades during a 2-1, 7-3 sweep of Concordia University. In front of a strong home midday crowd at Jensen Family Softball Complex, the Mustangs loaded critical hits by the bushel full. 

Senior third baseman Morgan Nixon (Omaha, Neb.) got the theme started in the opener. With fellow upperclasswoman Katherine Wurtz (Omaha, Neb.) locked in a tense battle with Bulldogs circle star Camry Moore, Nixon supplied Wurtz with just enough run backing. She crushed a solo home run in the second to give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead they didn't surrender until an unearned tally tied it at 1-1 in the seventh. Nixon's big bat came into play in the ninth, though, as she took a Moore pitch and drilled it over the left-center field fence for the 2-1, nine-inning victory.

The nightcap was headlined by more home team offensive work. Junior second baseman Sydney Petersen (Omaha, Neb.) doubled twice; senior shortstop Lexie Stolen (Sioux City, Iowa) homered; and senior catcher Mykel Ann Gray (Ames, Iowa) drove in two to lead the way. Those superlatives were plenty to send freshman pitcher Grace Buffington (Gretna, Neb.) to her 10^th win of the season.

Morningside (18-12, 6-6 GPAC) moved to sixth on the loop register, just two games behind third-place Dordt University and one from a fourth-place tie between Northwestern College and Briar Cliff University. The Mustangs take to the road Friday, April 15, for a doubleheader at Doane University. The game time is 1 p.m.