For the second straight year the NAIA Softball World Series will be played here in Siouxland and this year the Mustangs of Morningside College will be taking on the competition.
Morningside will be bringing an 8 game win streak and a 47-8 record, which is also a school record, into the Friday matchup against Webber International University out of Florida.
The 15th ranked Mustangs, who were both the GPAC regular season and tournament champs, will be the 7th seed.
Despite their record the road to the tournament was not an easy one. They had to overcome a solid Grand View team in the opening round bracket who had scored 6 unanswered runs in the 6th inning to take a 6-4 lead going into the final inning. Believe it or not that didn’t faze the Mustangs as they quickly came out and scored 5 runs to take the lead and maintain it for the 9-6 win.
The Mustangs moved on to the winner’s bracket where they faced off against the University of Great Falls out of Montana and won 4-1. They then had to play them again in the bracket championship game the next day where the winner qualifies for the NAIA Softball World Series.
The Mustangs started off quickly taking a 3-0 lead only to see Great Falls score 4 runs in the 3rd inning. The Mustangs have been in this situation before and kept their composure though. They quickly came in the next inning and scored 5 runs to take the 8-4 lead. Great Falls would score again in the 5th but it wasn’t enough and Morningside advances to the National Tournament with the 8-5 win.
Morningside will face off against Webber International University out of Florida in Friday May 27th in the opening round of the 2016 NAIA Softball World Series. The game will be played here in Siouxland at the Jensen Softball Complex at Morningside College campus.
This is the Mustangs 6th tournament appearance and they hold a 4-11 record.
The national tournament is a double elimination tournament and if Morningside wins their opening game against Webber they will play two time defending champion Auburn University-Montgomery the following day who have a bye.
The NAIA World Series starts in Sioux City on May 27 and runs through June 2 at the Jensen Softball Complex on the Morningside College Campus. Ten teams from all over the United States will compete so get out there and watch the best NAIA teams in the country.
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