Heart Series of the Week, presented by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce 

Heart Game of the Week, presented by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce 

Each week, the Heart of America Athletic Conference spotlights one of the conference's top matchups, showcasing the student-athletes and programs that elevate competition across the NAIA. 

This week's Heart Conference Series of the Week, presented by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce, features a baseball matchup between Mount Mercy Mustangs baseball and Grand View Vikings baseball. The series will be hosted by Grand View in Des Moines on April 11–12, with Game 1 set for 1:00 p.m. and Game 2 to follow at 3:30 p.m. 

Mount Mercy enters the weekend with a 24–9 overall record and an 11–1 mark in conference play, currently sitting second in the standings. The Mustangs are riding a 10-game winning streak and have been strong at the plate, totaling 261 runs while posting a .311 batting average, .437 on-base percentage, and .482 slugging percentage, along with 31 home runs on the season. 

Grand View comes in at 17–11 overall and 10–6 in conference play, holding fourth place in the conference standings. The Vikings have shown steady production offensively, recording 169 runs on 242 hits, with a .390 on-base percentage and .401 slugging percentage, along with 10 home runs on the season. They enter the series on a two-game winning streak. 

In last season's meetings, the two teams split a four-game series, 2–2. Grand View took Game 1 in a 1–0 contest, while Mount Mercy responded with back-to-back wins, 9–6 and 12–7. The Vikings closed the series with an 8–7 victory to even the matchup. 

With conference standings on the line, this weekend's series presents a key opportunity for both teams—Mount Mercy to maintain its momentum near the top of the standings, and Grand View to gain ground and strengthen its position heading deeper into conference play. 

Watch the Heart live on the Urban Edge Network. 
https://urbanedgenetwork.net/?school=heart-of-america-athletic-conference 

Follow along all season for the latest scores, highlights, and features on the Heart website and on social media at @HeartSportsNews.