by CANTON, Mo. — Jolona Shield broke another school record on Friday, leading Mount Mercy to a decisive sweep of Culver-Stockton (Mo.) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference North Division clash at Himsl Field. Both games ended early as the Mustangs needed just five innings to get 10-0 and 16-6 victories over the Wildcats.
In her second at-bat in game one, Shield hit a 2-run double to left-center field, plating the first run of the day and tying LJ Putzier’s single-season doubles record with 17. Later, Shield drilled her 18th double of the year to make history. Behind Shield’s five hits, two home runs, and seven RBI, Mount Mercy improved to 25-18 overall and 14-10 in conference play. It’s the Mustangs’ first 25-win season since 2015 and they’re now within striking distance of the Wildcats (20-17, 14-8 Heart) for second place in the league.
Mount Mercy gave Madelyn Irwin plenty of run support, scoring in every inning but the first. But Irwin (12-5) was dominant herself, scattering five hits and striking out four en route to her fifth shutout of the season. The Mustangs led 1-0, going into the third inning, but erupted for six runs to put the game out of reach. Mount Mercy recorded six hits in the frame, including doubles by Jess Heick and Shield, two hits from Madsen, and singles from Tawny Menster and Jaicee Lyons.
The Mustangs added two in the fourth on Emily Oler’s 2-run blast before putting up enough runs to end the game after the fifth when Shield plated Madsen for the 10th run of the game. The Mustangs finished with 13 hits as Madsen, Shield, Menster, and Payton Bruner all had multi-hit performances. Menster scored three times while Sheild and Oler each drove in three runs.
The nightcap was much of the same, except the run damage didn’t begin until the third inning as both pitchers, Menster and Bailey Tibbetts, held their opponent scoreless. Mount Mercy got on the board first, scoring four runs in the third, nine in the fourth, and three in the fifth. Menster improved to 9-9 after allowing six runs on five hits while striking out four in a complete game.
In the third inning, Jess Miller doubled, Madsen tripled, and Shield hit her 13th home run of the season, one away from tying Liz Hill’s record for single-season homers. After that, the rout was on. The Mustangs totaled eight of their 13 hits in the fourth inning to score nine runs. The inning was highlighted by Bruner’s 2-run shot as well as three doubles by Claudia Magana, Miller, and Jess Heick.
Shield led Mount Mercy with four RBI in the game, bringing her season total to 66, which leads the NAIA. Miller, Heick, and Bruner each plated three as well. Heick also extended her hitting streak to seven games on Friday.
The Mustangs get a shot at 22nd-ranked Grand View (26-5, 16-3 Heart) on Tuesday when the Vikings come to Busse Field for a conference doubleheader at 5:00 p.m. Senior Night will take place between games of Mount Mercy’s final home doubleheader.
