MVNU (2-1) got off to a good start in the game when the Lady Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Junior shortstop Tasha Konkle (left) hit a one-out single to leftfield, junior catcher Caitlin Murphy followed with a walk, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. One out later, Konkle scampered home on another wild pitch as MVNU took the early lead.

The lead grew to 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning when junior first baseman Michelle Gastin drew a lead-off walk and junior outfielder Lauretta Wallace followed with a single to leftfield. Two outs later, junior outfielder Leslie Banichar hit an RBI-single to centerfield to extend the Lady Cougars’ lead.

The Mustangs (8-6) strung together four hits and a walk to plate two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to knot the score at 2-2. Brianna Williams drove in the first run with a double and Elizabeth Hill added an RBI-single.

Then, in the bottom of the fifth inning, Mount Mercy broke the game wide open with five more hits aided by a controversial call. With one out and runners at first and second, Rosie Jones hit a ball down the third base line that appeared to be foul. However, after no call was made and the Mustang base runners both scored, the umpire declared that it was a fair ball. Williams added a sacrifice fly in the inning and Briana DeFlavio had an RBI-single as Mount Mercy took a 6-2 lead.

The Mustangs tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Emily Madsen drove in two runs with a single to center field to increase the lead to 8-2.

That would prove to the final score as MVNU was unable to rally as the Lady Cougars suffered their first loss of the year.

Senior right-hander Candace White (2-1) suffered the loss for MVNU as she gave up 13 hits, three walks, and eight runs over six innings with six strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Mariah Early notched the win for Mount Mercy as she scattered four hits, two walks, and two runs over five innings with five strikeouts. Rebecca Smith tossed the final two innings and allowed just one hit and one walk with one strikeout.

Offensively, Banichar and Wallace both had two of the Lady Cougars’ five hits with Banichar’s triple being the only extra base hit. Meanwhile, Madsen went 3-for-4 to lead the Mustangs while Rachel Dullen was 2-for-2.

MVNU will have Tuesday off before returning to action with a pair of games on Wednesday when the Lady Cougars will face the University of Chicago (Ill.) at 1:30 p.m. and get a rematch with Mount Mercy at 3:30 p.m.