MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE GA M E DAY - O CTO B E R 17 & 1 8, 2 0 2 0
MUSTANG BASEBALL The brief 2020 fall schedule for Morningside College concludes this weekend. It’s a second successive North Star Athletic Association opponent, as the Mustangs welcome Valley City State University to West High School’s field. Head coach Adam Boeve’s Mustangs are 0-2, while the Vikings, coached by Casey Olney, are 3-3.
MUSTANG MARKS Stellar starting pitching Oct. 4, headlined Morningside College’s return to the diamond for the first time since last March. The Mustangs, battling NSAA perennial top finisher Bellevue University at BU’s John Brown Field at Stella Park, saw sophomores Wade Canaday and Aiden Bishop not allow an earned run and strike out seven between them. Unfortunately for the Maroon, defensive miscues kicked the door open for the host Bruins in several situations over both ends of the doubleheader, leading to 6-2 and 5-2 defeats. Seniors Levi Davidson and Reece Blay each produced two-hit outings, with Blay adding a run scored in the opener. In the nightcap, the offense was lifted by RBI hits from Canaday and freshman Gunnar Kale. Kale’s input was a solo home run in the top of the third … “The fall season is a great way to see what we have,” Boeve noted. “We will have different guys in different situations, including a new position for some of them here and there. It’s a chance for some of the players to make moves on the roster. I’m really looking forward to it, as it’ll be fun to see what we can do --- where our competitive level is, what kind of energy we have, and how we compete against different opponents.”
ABOUT THE VIKINGS Just as with their hosts, pitching has been a strong point for Olney’s club. Valley City State sports an impressive 3.63 team earned run average with sophomore Matthew Suda topping the starters. He was a tough customer in his lone start, limiting Mayville State University to three hits over five innings. Senior Phil Almanza has been just as difficult on the opposition with a 1.00 ERA over nine innings and two starts, while junior southpaw Reed Butz is the staff strikeout leader with 26 over 15 and a third. At the plate, the quartet of sophomore Gedeon Ellis, juniors Adam Thompson and Jayden Shipman and senior David Demeter are batting average standard setters. They’re all at or above .350 with Ellis the top Viking (.385). Demeter has served as the power source with two home runs and a double through six contests.
SPRING 2021 Joplin, Mo., is the first site on the Mustangs’ schedule Feb. 20 and 21. Fans, friends, and alumni are asked to visit www. msidemustangs.com, the Internet home of Morningside College athletics for schedule information as it becomes available.