Mid-innings rally sends Morningside to day one split

FREMONT, NEB. – Freshman pitcher Grace Buffington (Gretna, Neb.) danced around eight University of Jamestown hits Wednesday, May 4, sending fourth-seeded Morningside University to victory. 

Increasing her season mark to 16-6, Buffington struck out three Jimmies and stranded nine visiting baserunners. Meanwhile, head coach Jessica Jones-Sitzmann's Mustangs, going to 30-14, took advantage of three Jamestown errors to push across three in the fourth and one in the sixth for the 4-1 win during the opening day of the 2022 Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships Midland University section.

Jones-Sitzmann's squad came back in the next contest to face off against the top-seeded and regular-season champion Warriors. Sophomore infielder Kennedee Jones (Ankeny, Iowa) rapped a pair of singles as the Mustangs put five runners on base with three in scoring position over the first three frames.

However, Midland starter Aliyah Rincon dodged each threat en route to a complete-game six-hit shutout. The home team offense tallied single runs in the second, fourth, and sixth innings towards a 3-0 winner's bracket final.

The Mustangs look to remain in postseason competition Thursday, May 5, taking on eighth-seeded Dordt University in an elimination contest. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. at Midland's Christensen Field. 

NOTE: Mside reached 30-win territory for the 15^th time in Jones-Sitzmann's career.