SEWARD, Neb. – The Mount Marty University softball team picked up a key GPAC road win on Tuesday, edging Concordia (Neb.) 2–1 behind a stellar complete-game effort from senior pitcher McKenzie Gray.
Gray was lights out in the circle, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out eight over seven innings.
The Lancers opened the scoring in the top of the third when Kayleen Jacinto ripped a double to left-center, driving in Abby Johnson to make it 1–0. Concordia responded in the fifth, tying the game on a sacrifice fly from Hanna Bowersthat brought Delanie Voshell home.
Mount Marty didn't waste time reclaiming the lead. In the top of the sixth, Janeah Castro reached base and later scored on a sharp single to left by Lilinoe Nihi, giving the Lancers a 2–1 advantage. That would prove to be enough, as Gray shut the door over the final two innings to secure the victory.
Offensively, the Lancers collected seven hits on the day, with Castro going 2-for-3 and Jacinto, Nihi, and Olivia Valdezeach adding key knocks. The Lancers did not issue a walk and committed just one error defensively.
Game Two
SEWARD, Neb. – Despite a fast start and a strong offensive showing from Kayleen Jacinto, the Mount Marty Lancers dropped a tightly contested 4–3 decision to Concordia (Neb.) in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader.
Mount Marty opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when Abby Johnson crossed the plate on a fielder's choice from Megan Toplovich. After Concordia responded with a two-run double in the bottom half, Johnson came through again in the second with an RBI double that brought home Makayla Hudson to tie it at 2–2.
The Lancers regained the lead in the third when Toplovich added another RBI, this time on a sacrifice bunt that allowed Jacinto to score. However, Concordia took advantage of two Mount Marty errors to tie the game in the bottom of the third, then pushed across the eventual game-winning run in the fourth on Avery O'Boyle's RBI triple.
Offensively, Jacinto stayed hot with a 3-for-4 performance, including a double and a run scored. Johnson added a double, an RBI, and a run. Toplovich drove in two of Mount Marty's three runs.
In the circle, Jacey Hayen and Makayla Graunke combined to limit Concordia to one earned run over six innings, but the defense faltered with two costly errors that led to three unearned runs.
