[Softball] Early, DeFlavio shine as Mustangs open season

MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa -- Seniors Mariah Early and Briana DeFlavio were honored by the Midwest Collegiate Conference today after leading the Mount Mercy softball team to a 4-1 start at the Friends (Kan.) Tournament over the weekend in Wichita, Kan.

Early, a senior right-hander, picked up two wins for the Mustangs and was named the MCC Pitcher of the Week for March 5. She allowed only three earned runs while striking out 13 batters in 13 innings of work. DeFlavio, a senior catcher, went 8-for-16 at the plate to garner MCC Player of the Week honors. That included two home runs, a pair of doubles, five runs batted in and five runs scored.

Mount Mercy (4-1) won its first four games at the tournament, defeating Dordt, 9-2, Tabor (Kan.), 6-0, and Benedictine (Kan.), 9-1, on Saturday and Friends, 5-4, on Sunday. Rogers State (Okla.) dropped the Mustangs, 10-2, in Sunday's finale.

Mount Mercy is off until its home opener on Wednesday, March 21, against William Penn at 3:00 p.m. at Cedar Rapids Washington High School Field.