Morningside Wins Doubleheader Over Broncos
(South Sioux City, NE) – Against Morningside on the road on Sunday, Hastings lost 7-5 in game one and 8-1 in game two.
(South Sioux City, NE) – Against Morningside on the road on Sunday, Hastings lost 7-5 in game one and 8-1 in game two.
Hastings scored three runs in the first, as sophomore Tyler Rojas reached on an error to start the game and junior Evan Morrison moved him to third on a double. Rojas then scored on an RBI groundout by junior Samuele Bruno, then sophomore Peighton Vargas blasted a two-run home run to take the 3-0 lead.
The Mustangs got both of their first runs on a Bronco fielding error in the second inning and cut the lead to one at 3-2.
In the third inning, the first three Broncos reached base without a hit. Senior Tristan Martinez drove in Morrison on a sac fly and sophomore Cody Haynes brought home Bruno on an RBI-groundout to take a 5-2 lead.
Morningside responded in the bottom half of the third with a home run on the second pitch of the half-inning. The next three batters got on for the Mustangs and later scored on a flyout, wild pitch, and groundout to go up 6-5 on the Broncos. They tacked on another run in the fourth on a home run, making it 7-5.
Hastings had at least one baserunner in each of the last three innings. In the seventh, Vargas hit a one-out double down the left field line, but a flyout and groundout ended the game and secured the 7-5 win for Morningside in game one.
Vargas went 3-3 at the plate with a double, a home run, one walk, two RBIs, and one run scored. Senior Jace Valdez had a multi-hit game as well, going 2-3. Junior Evan Chavez pitched four innings in relief, allowing only one earned run on two hits and striking out four.
In game two, Hastings loaded the bases with three straight walks to begin the game, but the Mustangs got out of it without allowing a run. Morningside took a 2-0 lead on a two-run RBI single with one out in the second.
Morningside added a third run on a two-out single in the third inning. In the seventh, a one-out walk and stolen base turned into a run on a base hit to left. They scored two more runs in the inning to take a 6-0 lead.
Freshman Magnus Kapica pinch-hit for Hastings in the eighth inning, reaching on an error. Kapica moved to third on a single from senior Tristan Martinez, then scored on a sac fly by junior Jared Delgado. The Mustangs added two runs in the eighth to cap the 8-1 victory.
Up next, Hastings will host Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday, Mar. 25 at 6pm.
