A 3-1 loss against Doane in the elimination bracket final knocked the Mustangs out of the GPAC Softball Tournament Morningside Bracket.

Abby Conner

The Mustangs bowed out of the GPAC Softball Postseason Tournament Morningside Bracket with a 3-1 loss against Doane in Saturday’s elimination bracket final.

Doane improved its record to 29-20 and advanced to the championship game against Northwestern (32-9), while the 23rd-ranked Mustangs saw their record go to 29-13.

It took Doane just two batters to take a 1-0 lead when Brittney Amezquita slugged a one-out home run for her first circuit clout of the season. The Tigers tacked on one more run before the inning was over when Jordan Van Roy singled, advanced to third on a double by Haileigh Arthur and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Stearns to put the Mustangs in an early 2-0 hole.

The Mustangs dodged a bullet in the top of the fourth inning when the Tigers threatened to break the game open when they loaded the bases with no outs and the top of their order up. Doane came away with nothing, however, thanks mainly to Mustang centerfielder Mackenzie Lose, who ran down a line drive off the bat of Amezquita that appeared ticketed for extra bases.

Mackenzie Lose

Morningside carried the defensive momentum into the bottom half of the inning when Abby Conner slugged a home run over the left field fence to trim the Mustangs’ deficit to 2-1.

The Tigers matched the Mustangs’ run in the top of the fifth when Arthur led off with a single and eventually scored on a double by Tayler Mashburn.

Doane starting pitcher Josie Schnakenberg held the Mustangs to one run on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts over the first 5.1 innings to get the win and improve her record to 14-8. Haileigh Arthur allowed one hit and struck out two batters in 1.2 innings of relief to notch her third save of the campaign.

Morningside starter Hallie Misiaszek allowed three runs on 10 hits with two walks and one strikeout over the first five innings to take the loss. Andrea Medinger pitched the final two innings in relief and allowed one hit with one walk and one strikeout.

Lose had two of the Mustangs’ five hits with a pair of singles. The Mustangs’ other hits were a home run by Conner and singles by Abby Taylor and Tracey Edwards.