Soggy Saturday Ends Regular Season with Softball Split

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The conditions were far from ideal for spring softball in Sioux City today, as an hour plus lightning delay and steady rainfall were on the menu at Jensen Softball Complex. Morningside and Dakota Wesleyan played to a split in the sub-optimal conditions, dropping the first contest, 12-6, before roaring back with a 7-3 win in the regular season finale.

The Mustangs emerged from today's rain delay as a new team, scoring early as Amber Dougherty took a walk, advanced to second on a Jalyn Noelle sacrifice, and scored on Adeline Fliege's double to left center. Fliege would steal third, then score on a Bralen Biddlecome single to center.

DWU got one back in the second inning, but Morningside answered as Jenna Skradski laced a ball to center field and advanced to second as the center fielder misplayed it. Emma Barwick bunted Skradski to third, and a Dougherty sac fly scored the Morningside leadoff. 

Morningside poured it on in the fourth inning, adding four runs, as Dougherty walked, Noelle singled through the right side, and Mackenzi Harrel walked to load the bases. Fliege laced a single down the left field line, scoring both Dougherty and Noelle, and advancing Harrel. Both runners swiped a bag, moving two into scoring position, where a Josie Hernandez single through the left side would advance them both again. Ali Fletcher ran for Hernandez and promptly stole second before Biddlecome scored Fliege and put runners on the corners before a pair of strikeouts would end the inning.

Dakota Wesleyan responded with another run and scored one more in the top of the seventh.

Morgan Secora went the distance for Morningside in the win, giving up two earned runs on seven hits, striking out five.

The Mustangs' opener saw Harrel and Skradski both hit homers, with Harrel driving in two runs, and Hernandez, Biddlecome, and Skradski each bringing in one in the contest. Dougherty, Noelle, Harrel, Ashlyn Caniglia, and Skradski all crossed the plate in the seven innings before the skies really opened up. 

Morningside awaits its final position in the Great Plains Athletic Conference standings before the league tournament begins on Wednesday. Play at Briar Cliff and Concordia have been suspended, with the Dordt-BCU contest scheduled to be completed on Monday.