Penn (17-13, 7-1 MCC) started slow with three scoreless innings in the first game, but finally opened up the offense with three consecutive base knocks in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 1-1.

Ashley Johnson (Sr., Burlington, Southeastern CC) doubled to score pinchrunner Katie Bunting (So., What Cheer, Wartburg), who was on the basepaths for Tyanna Helton (Jr., Santa Rosa, Calif., Palomar CC). Helton began the rally with a single.

Penn then claimed the lead for good in the fifth when Helton singled home Stacie Gaskill (Sr., Lake Mills, Lake Mills HS). Ashley Stream (Fr., Chariton, Chariton HS) added an insurance run in the next at bat when Kara Atkins (Fr., Burlington, Burlington HS) singled her in as well.

Penn pounded out ten base hits and also had a few other scoring chances as it left six on base. Stream, Helton, Atkins, and Krystle Carr (Sr., Acton, Calif., Paraclete HS) were all 2-3 at the plate to pace the offense.

Hannah Lugar (Fr., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) improved to 3-4 on the year by allowing only one run (earned) on six hits. The freshman struck out six with just one walk.

Lugar struggled to close out the game, however, and put the tying run on base after back-to-back leadoff hits in the top of the seventh.

Johnson was then called on to finish the job and she did in style with three straight strikeouts to earn her first save of the campaign.

Penn found success early in the nightcap, tallying three runs in the bottom of the first frame. Carr highlighted the inning with a two-run double that scored Helton and Leah Mork (Jr., DeWitt, North Iowa Area CC).

Devin Bennett (Jr., Overland Park, Kan., Iowa Lakes CC) also added an RBI single that scored Atkins.

The Mustangs (13-10, 2-4 MCC) narrowed the deficit to 3-2 with one run apiece in the second and fourth frames before Penn pulled away with two in the fifth and one more insurance run in the sixth.

Helton singled home Stream to start the fifth, while Mork also scored in the frame on an Atkins's fielder's choice plate appearance.

The day's final run was recorded when Stream crossed home plate on a Mork single in the sixth.

Helton topped Penn in the second game by going 3-4 with one run and one RBI, while Stream and Mork were both 2-4 with two runs scored. Carr tallied two RBIs in the victory.

Allysa Fligg (Sr., Agency, Nebraska-Omaha) improved to 7-5 in allowing two runs (both earned) on five hits in five innings of work. The senior struck out seven with just one walk.

Johnson relieved Fligg in the sixth and tossed two perfect frames with a pair of strikeouts for her second save of the day and of the year.

Next: Penn is again at home Thursday to host Iowa Wesleyan in an MCC doubleheader beginning at 6 p.m. The twinbill was rescheduled from Tuesday because of cold weather.