An extra inning victory in the first game of Monday’s doubleheader at Midland gave the Mustangs an outright GPAC softball championship.

Nationally ranked Morningside wrapped up sole possession of the GPAC softball championship when it defeated Midland 4-2 in 10 innings in the opener of Monday’s doubleheader in Fremont, Neb.

The 14th-ranked Mustangs, who lost 2-0 in the second game of the twinbill, won the GPAC crown with an 18-3 record and will take a 39-8 overall record into the GPAC Post-Season Tournament that will begin Wednesday with four-team double-elimination tourneys at Morningside and Doane. Morningside and Midland will meet in a first round contest at noon following the completion of a 10 a.m. opening round game between Hastings and Concordia.

Allie Martinez delivered the game winning hit in the opener when she slugged a two-run double with one out in the top of the 10th inning to break a 2-2 tie. Her hit drove in Elin Landgren, who started the inning at second base under the international rule, and Rachel Koch, who was hit by a pitch.

Morningside took an early 2-0 lead in the opener when Koch had a RBI single in the third inning and Anna Milone slugged a run scoring double in the fourth.

Midland’s Bailey Hartman singled to plate a pair of runs to tie the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning and the score stayed that way until Martinez’s 10th inning double.

Martinez went three-for-four with a double and Moriah Bohlmann had a pair of singles to pace a 10-hit Mustang offensive attack. Milone and Morgan Fogelman each had doubles.

Rachel Henks struck out six batters and allowed one hit in a four-inning relief stint to get the pitching win. Henks took over after Mustang starter Aubrey Voboril allowed two runs, only one earned, on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts over the first six innings.

Midland’s Stephanie Norrick blanked the Mustangs on eight hits in the nightcap by pitching to contact with only one walk and two strikeouts.

Aside from getting the pitching win, Norrick also drove in the game’s first run with a RBI single in the second inning. The Warriors extended their lead to 2-0 on a solo home run by Hartman in the sixth inning.

Koch and Abby Conner each had two singles, while Fogelman had a double and Landgren, McKenzie Anderson, and Emilee Dorpinghaus each had singles.

Morningside’s Andrea Medinger tossed a complete game five-hitter in defeat. She walked two and struck out six.

Game One Box

Game Two Box