MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE GAM E DAY - APR I L 24, 2021
MUSTANG BASEBALL Morningside College looks to make a charge up the Great Plains Athletic Conference as the Jimmies of the University of Jamestown are the opposition this afternoon at Mercy Field and Lewis and Clark Park. The Mustangs (20-25, 11-9 GPAC) are tied for fifth with Briar Cliff University but just a half-game out of the third-place knot featuring UJ and Mount Marty University. Head coach Adam Boeve’s team has righted the ship somewhat in recent play, winning three of its last four after a difficult span of six defeats in seven outings previously.
The Match-Up Mside has a tenable 6-4 edge in the last ten contests of the alltime series. Overall, the Mustangs have an 8-6 advantage, but Jamestown has managed four victories in the most recent five outings. The freshman combination of infielder Eddie Brancato and outfielder Hunter Hope proved vital for the Maroon on April 21. Brancato singled and drove in a run. Hope continued a noteworthy first year with a double and triple and three runs driven in to help lead a game two win over Heart of America foe Peru State College. Bringing the partisan Mustangs’ fan base to its feet, they were part of an eight-run outburst over the fourth through sixth frames. Due to that attack, a four-person pitching sequence featuring freshman starter Wade Canaday, freshmen relievers Max Nickerson and Quinton Holman, and junior reliever Jordan Kyle was able to go right after the PSC line-up. They put together seven strikeouts, including three each from Canaday and Kyle, and surrendered just five hits and no earned runs in the 8-1 final. Boeve’s bunch was on the cusp of a sweep, leading the opener 4-3 after a four-run second inning production, highlighted by freshman designated hitter Elijah Rude’s two-run bomb down the right-field line. However, the Bobcats answered with a run each in the fourth and sixth innings and a four-run rally in the seventh to win 9-4. Wednesday’s game two celebration was part of a larger picture in program history. It marked the 14th time in the last 15 years that Morningside has reached the 20-win mark. The exception was the COVID-19 pandemic shortened season of 2020. Hope, who’s had a safety in all but 14 outings, and Brancato, who’s hitting a
sky-rocketing .415 in his last 14 games, are one-two in batting average .345 and .315, respectively. Hope’s 17 extra-base hits, including four triples and four home runs, join senior infielder Jordan Pierce, who has 16 extra-base raps, including three three-baggers and three big flies as the Mustangs’ power company. Freshman left-hander Caleb Thomsen leads the staff starters with five victories and two complete games and is one of two, joining fellow first-year hurler Wade Canaday in 50-ormore strikeout territory. The upperclassman combination of juniors Camden Parks and Jordan Kyle each has produced five saves.
ABOUT THE JIMMIES Head coach Tom Hager’s squad goes into the doubleheader, having dropped three in a row to Mount Marty last weekend at home. UJ is 25-15 overall and 11-8 in the conference. The long ball has helped push the offense to an impressive .287 team batting average. Junior infielder Luke Shekeryk has launched 13 big flies as part of a .852 slugging percentage. Senior pitcher/infielder Brice Foster’s .385 average is the team best. On the mound, the Jimmies’ senior/sophomore combo of Dru Fitz and Kendall Yackley is among the conference’s best. Fitz stands 5-1 with 57 Ks, and a 3.19 earned run average. Yackley is 3-0 in five starts.