MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE GAM E DAY - APR I L 3, 2021
MUSTANG BASEBALL A span of five games in five days concludes today with a redhot Doane University squad visiting Briar Cliff University’s Bishop Mueller Field for a Mustangs’ home doubleheader. Going into a trip to Dordt University’s Open Space Park Field in Sioux Center yesterday, head coach Adam Boeve’s Morningside College squad was part of a three-way tie for third along with the Chargers of BCU and the Jimmies of the University of Jamestown. DU stood 17-8-1 overall and 8-0 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference before a Friday home showdown with second-place and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ No. 20-ranked Concordia University.
The Match-Up It’s been nearly 50-50 between the two programs dating back to 2015-16. The Tigers have a slight 5-3 edge as part of an overall 18-12 advantage. Three of the last eight meetings have been decided by one run, with two going extra innings. Despite a tough-luck 1-0 loss to North Star Athletic Association perennial power Bellevue University March 30, signs of the Maroon’s recent roll continued to be in the air. Mside, sporting a 9-6 record since beginning the 2021 campaign with a 4-12 mark, served notice to future opponents with a hard-nosed effort at Roddy Park. The team turned to six pitchers who kept a Bruin offense, hitting a solid .260 as a team coming in to just eight hits while fanning 11 home team hitters. Freshman starter Wade Canaday and junior bullpen ace Jordan Kyle each turned in three Ks. At the plate, Morningside picked up five hits of their own. Freshman outfielder Hunter Hope registered a twohit night, continuing a recent hot streak where he’s hit safely in six of his last seven appearances. Hope added a double to his evening’s resume, too. Three team members find themselves ranked among the national numbers’ best 25. Hope, whose bat has led him to a squad-leading .345 average and .513 slugging percentage, has also flashed the leather. He was one of 253 across the country, still perfect in the field before weekend action. Mside’s top-notch bullpen crew had the other two in the territory, as juniors Jordan Kyle and Camden Parks’ four saves apiece were No. 21.
Freshman southpaw Caleb Thomson, among the league’s most noteworthy starters, was just off the pace with his five victories ranking No. 26. Following today’s contests, Morningside breaks from competition until April 10 and 11 as they travel to Hastings College for a weekend conference series versus the Broncos. They are scheduled to be back in the Sioux City area for a single nine-inning game against Northwestern College on April 13.
ABOUT DOANE Since a 3-6 start, head coach Josh Oltmans’ team has been one of the hottest not only in the conference but the region and nation. They had claimed 14 of 17 with one tie included before the in-state collision with the perennial league power Bulldogs. Junior left-hander Jordan Wisner has been a difficult-plus Rubik’s cube for opposing offenses to solve. He went into the weekend 5-0 with a 1.69 earned run average and 37 strikeouts. His ERA ranked 23rd nationally through 26 outings. Freshman Thaniel Trumper adds to the Tigers’ pitching positives with five saves. Dordt’s offense has been impressive, too. Their .320 team batting average, led by junior outfielder Andy Theiler and sophomore infielder Lukas White’s combined eight home runs, three triples, 17 doubles, and 45 RBI, was 29th-highest in the NAIA before the Concordia games.