‘Stangs split season’s first double header

KANSAS CITY, MO. – Morningside finally got to play its opening day contests, with the season debut coming a week and a few days late due to cold weather in Missouri. The Mustangs dropped the opener, 4-3, but bounced back to take the second game 7-6.

A first-inning home run for Michael Delzell got Morningside started on the right foot, but additional RBIs for Ryan Kiolbassa and Tucker Gibbar weren't enough to keep ahead of Clarke. Gibbar and Jacob O'Dell split a pair of doubles in the contest. 

Kai Purdy-Burton got the opening day start, throwing 4.0 innings, giving up two runs and striking out five. Josh Pratt came on in relief for three frames, giving up a pair and striking out three. Pratt was assigned the loss in the game.

It was Cade Nolan that took the mound for the nightcap, going five innings with six runs crossing, four of which were earned. Nolan fanned five batters in the contest. Kade Yasui picked up the win in his Mustang debut, coming in in relief of Nolan for a scoreless frame that included a strikeout. Mason Hymer matched Yasui with a scoreless single-inning outing, picking up a save in the process.

Morningside played a smaller game offensively, with Giacomo Crosetti picking up the lone extra base hit, a double. Crosetti, Luke Blackmon, and Conner Maston each had two hits in the contest, with Maston driving in three runs, while Crosetti, Blackmon, and Kiolbassa each pushed one run across.

The Mustangs will hope to improve upon their 1-1 start with another pair of games against Clarke starting in the morning at 11 a.m.