SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Dakota Wesleyan Baseball squared off against the Morningside Mustangs in a midweek GPAC doubleheader at Briar Cliff's Bishop Mueller Complex.
The Tigers were able to get on base early and take advantage of pitching woes from the Mustangs to take a fast 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Dexter Payne would get on base through a fielder's choice to get Lane Darrow across home plate, before wild pitches brought home both Caleb Meyers and Payne, and Kelbee Woodham rounded out the initial scoring effort with a single to center field that would see Joseph Tharaldson score. The Mustangs were able to respond with a pair of home runs in the next two innings, but the defense for DWU was able to prevent the counterattack from fully matching the Tigers' initial four runs, bringing the score to 4-3 through two innings of play. The top of the third saw Mason Riley and Payne take walks to get on base, but keen Mustang defense on an attempted bunt from Talan Ball prevented the Tigers from taking advantage of the runners-on scoring situation. On the mound, Alex Mizsak was able to shut down the Mustangs after the first two innings, going on to record five strikeouts in a complete seven-inning appearance. The Tigers were able to give Mizsak some more cushion in the top of the fourth, as Brett Groebner, Darrow, and C. Meyers would tally three singles in a row to earn the team's fifth run of the game, while Payne crushed a ball into left-center field for a two-RBI-double before Ball closed out the frame with an RBI on a fielder's choice, bringing the score to 8-3 in favor of DWU. The next two innings would remain scoreless between both teams before the Mustangs would attempt to claw back with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, but the Dakota Wesleyan defense would hold steady to keep its two-run lead and win the first contest, 8-6. Payne would lead DWU with three RBIs while Mizsak earned his fifth win of the season on the mound, and was also tabbed the Bradley's Pub & Grille Player of the Day for his 135-pitch effort.
Game two of the doubleheader saw a slower pace out of the gate as both teams took advantage of early errors and small-ball to get on the board. Nathaniel Huisken would take a starting role, which would be different from his usual appearances in relief, but the senior from Colorado was up to the task and went on to record two strikeouts in three innings pitched. The Tigers would get on the board at the top of the second with Payne reaching home on a throwing error. However, the Mustangs were quick to respond in the bottom of the frame, grabbing two RBIs on a double to right-center field to take a 2-1 lead. Groebner struck back with a triple to the right corner of the field to get into scoring position at the top of the third, but the Mustang defense was able to hold steady and prevent DWU from tying the contest back up. Huisken got out of a jam of his own in the bottom of the third to keep the contest within a run as scoring continued to become more of a premium down the stretch. A bases-loaded situation and third run on the board for the Mustangs in the fourth would see Brayden Cherrey come into the game in relief for the Tigers, but the Morningside offense was able to cycle the bases to extend its lead to 5-1. A wild pitch resulted in a sixth run for the Mustangs before the end of the frame, and a follow-up in the bottom of the fifth gave Morningside seven total runs scored. The Tigers would grab a second run in the top of the sixth as a Riley double and a wild pitch would see him cross home plate, but it would not be enough to get the Tigers in contention, resulting in a 7-2 Dakota Wesleyan loss. AJ Wilber would toss the final inning of the contest for the Tigers.
DWU Baseball will be back in action on the road in a GPAC doubleheader against the Doane Tigers on Friday, March 27th, starting at 1:00 PM. See the full 2026 schedule here.