[Softball] Mustangs Silenced in First Round, Survive Elimination Game

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Mustangs opened play at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Softball Championship at Busse Field this morning in the first game of the day. A game that would last just five innings, the five-seeded Mustangs were defeated 8-0 by fourth-seeded Culver-Stockton College. The Mustangs faced going home early playing the first eliminated game this evening, but survived with a 2-0 win over eighth-seeded William Penn University.

In the first round, the Mustangs left the bases loaded in the first inning after a single by Jess Heick (SO/Solon, Iowa) followed by two walks. After successfully keeping the Wildcats off the board in the first, the damage would come in the following four innings to end the contest in five. The Wildcats scored one in the second followed by two in the third and fourth innings with a game-ending three-run fifth inning. The Mustang bats were cold limited to just three hits while the Wildcats crushed 11. In addition to Heick's 1-for-3 game, Tawny Menster (SR/Olin, Iowa) was 1-for-3 with a double while Morgan Braughton (SO/Marion, Iowa) was 1-for-2. On the mound, Menster would get the start and receive the loss throwing 2.1 innings allowing three runs on five hits while walking and striking out two. Madelyn Irwin (JR/Orange Park, Fla.) threw the remaining two innings allowing five runs on six hits while walking two and striking out three.

In the first elimination game of the tournament, the two teams held each other at bay through two innings before the Mustangs broke the silence in the bottom of the third. Braughton started the scoring sequence with a single to right before Payton Bruner (JR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) doubled deep down the left field line to score Braughton. Once again, the two teams threw up zeros on the scoreboard for the next two innings before the Mustangs added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Heick singled to center and would score on a missed catch by the Statesman's center fielder. To go along with a solid defensive effort by the Mustangs, the offense was led by Heick going 2-for-3, including a double, Bruner going 1-for-3 with a RBI double, Jessica Miller (SR/Williamsburg, Iowa) and Jolona Shield (SR/Lawrence, Kan.) both going 1-for-3, and Braughton going 1-for-2. Jayna Witzany (FR/Cottage Grove, Minn.) threw a complete game shutout for the win allowing no runs on three hits while walking none and sitting down five.

The Mustangs will play on Thursday, May 2 at 7:30 P.M. against No. 2 Grand View University or No. 3 Central Methodist University.