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Mavs fall
MACOMB, Ill. — The Omaha softball team dropped its series finale with Western Illinois Sunday afternoon, falling 7-1 at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium. With the loss, the Mavericks are now 15-28 (3-8 Summit League), while the Fighting Leathernecks improve to 16-23 (8-1).
Catcher Natalie Mostek of Creston was 0-for-2 with a walk at the plate for the Mavericks in the finale. On Saturday, Mostek was 1-4 in a 5-1 loss to the Fighting Leathernecks in the second game of a doubleheader and scored the game’s only run while going 1-4 in a 1-0 Mavericks victory in the opener.
For the season, Mostek is batting .250 with four home runs and 14 RBIs with seven stolen bases in nine attempts in 42 games. She has only three errors and a .984 fielding percentage.
Mostek also recently received the Female Maverick Muscle Award during presentation of the Mav Awards to Omaha student-athletes. It’s recognition for commitment to strength and conditioning.
Omaha returns to action with a midweek game at Kansas Wednesday with first pitch at 4 p.m. in Lawrence, Kansas.
Bears unbeaten
BOONE — Freshman Morgan Nealey of Urbandale hit a grand slam home run to lead the Des Moines Area Community College softball team to a 9-1 win over Iowa Central Community College in the second game of a doubleheader April 22 at the DMACC softball diamond.
The Bears also took the opener, 6-1, to improve to 34-0 for the season and 16-0 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC).
DMACC, ranked first in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll, also swept doubleheaders from North Iowa Area Community College and Ellsworth Community College over the weekend. The Bears defeated NIACC by scores of 10-0 and 9-1 April 21 at the DMACC softball diamond and handed ECC 4-1 and 7-2 losses in games April 20 at Iowa Falls.
Sophomore Taylor Briley of Creston drove in three runs to lead DMACC in the opener against NIACC.
In 93 at-bats this year, Briley is batting .344 with five home runs, 27 RBIs and seven stolen bases in seven attempts. While playing three infield positions, Briley has a .968 fielding percentage with five errors in 158 total chances.
The DMACC softball team will face Kirkwood Community College in a doubleheader Wednesday at the DMACC softball field. The Eagles are 36-6 overall and 13-3 in the ICCAC with two of those loses coming against the Bears when the two teams played April 11 at Cedar Rapids. KCC is currently ranked third in the NJCAA Division II poll.
Kansas Relays
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Northwest Missouri State University track teams competed in the Kansas Relays last weekend.
Bearcat junior Maria Mostek of Creston placed 24th in a field of 36 runners in the 5,000 meters in 19:00.05.
Senior Brandon Phipps of Creston is redshirting this spring on the Bearcat men’s track team while fulfilling a student teaching assignment.
Simpson triangular
INDIANOLA — The Central College women’s track team had individuals win four events en route to a runner-up finish at a triangular hosted by Simpson College Saturday.
The Dutch compiled 124 points across 19 events, but Nebraska Wesleyan University’s 179 points took the team title. Simpson was third with 71 points.
Central senior Kate Patton of Murray ran a season-best 12.65 seconds in the 100-meter dash to take first place. She was also fourth in the 200-meter dash in 26.38.
Patton will be running in the Drake Relays this weekend in the 4x400 relay and distance medley relay.
Heptathlon winner
ORANGE CITY — Morningside College junior Aurora Arevalo of Lenox took first place in the women’s heptathlon with 4,361 points at the Red Raider Invitational hosted by Northwestern College.
Arevalo won the 200-meters among heptathlon competitors in a time of 26.42. She was second in the 800 in 2:37.12; second in the 100-meter hurdles in 15.69; tied for second in the high jump at 1.47 meters; third in the long jump at 4.62 meters; first in the shot put at 11.18 meters and first in the javelin throw at 35.81 meters.
Arevalo will compete in the Drake Relays for Morningside in the sprint medley Friday night.
Viking hurdler
GRINNELL — Several top finishes propelled Grand View University’s men’s and women’s track and field teams to bring home first place at the Dick Young Invitational Saturday at the Darren Young ‘93 Complex.
Grand View’s Amber Castillo of Creston finished seventh in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:15.12.
Grand View men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams traveled to the Baker Relays in Baldwin City, Kansas, on March 31. The women’s team took first place out of 16 teams while the men’s team finished second out of 18 teams.
Castillo was 12th in the 100-meter hurdles for Grand View in 17.47. Castillo was also eighth in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:17.28.
This week Grand View will host the Viking Classic on Friday at Duke Williams Stadium followed by Family Potluck and senior recognition at the Student Center.
Viking tennis
DES MOINES — The Grand View men’s and women’s tennis teams hosted Wartburg College April 7 at Walker Johnston Park. The men’s team dropped a close 4-5 match to Wartburg to move to 7-7 this season.
At No. 5 singles, sophomore Ryan Kucera of Creston defeated Wartburg’s Grant Kincaid, 6-3, 6-2. At No. 2 doubles, Kucera and Yasha Litvak lost to Sam Nettleton and Nate Meister, 8-6.
This weekend the Vikings will compete in the Heart of America Conference Tournament in St. Louis, Missouri.
Dutch sweep
DUBUQUE — It was two wins on one trip to Dubuque for the Central College men’s tennis team after beating the University of Dubuque 8-1 and Loras College 6-3.
With two Iowa Conference matches remaining, the Dutch are 5-1 in league matches and 13-10 overall. The Spartans fell to 2-10 (0-4 conference) and the Duhawks dipped to 11-5 (3-3 conference).
In the opener against the Spartans Central breezed through doubles with a 3-0 lead. The No. 1 team of senior Garret Taylor of Creston and William Isiminger won 8-5. At No. 1 singles Taylor defeated Matthew Sablay 7-6, 6-4.
The final road contest of the regular season for Central is Thursday in Waverly at 3:30 p.m. against Wartburg College.
800 winner
WARRENSBURG, Mo. — For the first time since 2015, Central Missouri hosted the outdoor Mule Relays at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
Noah Larsen of Mount Ayr won the 800 meters for the Mules in a time of 1:51.32, which is an NCAA provisional qualifying mark and season-best. Larsen will compete in the Drake Relays Friday in the sprint medley relay and 4x400 relay.
— Compiled by Larry Peterson, CNA senior feature writer