Austin Czerwiec pitched a two-hitter Thursday as Mount Mercy trimmed AIB, 3-1, in the first game of a Midwest Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Ken Charipar Field.

AIB won the nightcap, 7-4.

Czerwiec was touched for a single in the fifth inning and another single in the sixth inning, the only hits off him all day. AIB scored its only run in the fourth inning with two walks, a sacrifice bunt and an infield grounder.

Mount Mercy took a 1-0 lead in the opener on an RBI single by Cody Bell in the first inning. The Mustangs made it 3-0 in the third inning on a two-run double by Patrick Haney. Bell and Cody Williams had two hits in the game.

The Mustangs jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second inning of the nightcap, but the visitors battled back for seven runs and kept Mount Mercy off the scoreboard the rest of the game. Christian Knox had a home run and two hits for Mount Mercy.

The split left Mount Mercy at 12-12 overall and 3-3 in the conference. AIB is 14-15 overall and 9-3 in the league.

Game 1

AIB           000 100 0 - 1 2 0
Mount Mercy   102 000 x - 3 8 3

Johnson and Ingram. Czerwiec and Lizarraga. W - Czerwiec. L - Johnson.

Game 2

AIB           003 020 2 - 7 10 0
Mount Mercy   310 000 0 - 4 7 0

Huffman, Leverett (7) and Ingram. Henke, Boddicker (6), Hackett (7) and Lizarraga. W - Huffman. L - Henke.