William Penn Athletics News for April 2 and 3
William Penn Lady Statesmen Softball in action over the weekend at the MCC Tournament
Penn Takes Two on First Day of MCC Weekend
Oskaloosa–The Penn softball team should strongly consider moving all of its home games to the Lacey Sports Complex after winning twice on Day One of the Midwest Collegiate Conference Weekend Saturday.
The Lady Statesmen (19-8, 4-2 MCC) defeated Viterbo 5-4 and beat Ashford 7-4. In regularly-scheduled contests at Lacey, Penn owns a 6-0 mark, including winning all four matchups a year ago.
The Lady Statesmen and St. Ambrose also concluded the second game of last week’s doubleheader that was postponed due to weather. The game started in the sixth with the Queen Bees leading 5-3 and that is how it finished.
Penn scored all of its runs against the V-Hawks (8-8, 2-2 MCC) in the third inning and held on for victory.
Ashley Nieto (Jr., Cement City, Mich., Jackson CC) singled home Khyia Lewis (Jr., Ottumwa, Ottumwa HS) and Ashley Kingery (So., Knoxville, Knoxville HS) to start the action and then Molly Miller (So., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) added another single to plate Andrea Rensberger (Sr., Sioux City, Sioux City North HS).
Brianne Rowley (Jr., Hood River, Ore., Blue Mountain CC) made it 4-0 on another one-bagger to bring home Nieto, while Miller scored the final run on a groundout by Cassie Lohman (So., Burbank, Calif., Providence HS).
Viterbo responded in the bottom half of the frame with two runs. The score held at 5-2 until the final half inning, and with their backs to the wall, the V-Hawks gave the Lady Statesmen a mighty scare by getting two more runs. Fortunately, the third and tying run did not touch home plate and Penn survived.
The hometown team stepped up with some big defensive plays late to help out pitcher Jennifer Whitehead (Fr., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS). Ashley Stream (Jr., Chariton, Chariton HS) snagged a popped up bunt attempt and proceeded to double-up the runner at third base in the sixth inning, while Lewis got a force-out of a runner in the seventh to preserve the lead.
Rowley headlined the offense by going 2-for-4 at the plate, while Whitehead moved to 9-5 on the year. The freshman gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits. She collected four strikeouts versus one walk.
In a complete role reversal, Penn had to come from behind in its second game, falling behind Ashford 3-0 after two innings.
The Lady Statesmen finally got on the board in the third when Miller doubled in Lohman. Rowley and Stream then hit consecutive doubles for another run (Miller thrown out on her double). Athena Rosario (Jr., Bremerton, Wash., Olympic CC) proved she has pop in her bat as well, clearing the fence to tally Stream and Penn took the lead for good at 4-3. The home run is Rosario’s first in the navy and gold.
The Saints (3-10, 2-4 MCC) evened the contest at 4-4 on a homer of their own in the top of the fifth, but Rowley silenced the opposition with a booming two-run shot (scoring Miller) one-half inning later. She now has nine roundtrippers in 2011.
The Lady Statesmen tacked on one more run in the sixth as Rensberger was pushed home on a Lohman single and an Ashford error.
Penn’s first three hitters made it clear why they are at the top of the lineup as Lohman (3-for-4), Miller (3-for-4), and Rowley (3-for-3) helped Penn to a 13-8 margin in base knocks. Rosario was also 2-for-3.
Amber Daly (Jr., Napa, Calif., Solano CC) was a little shaky in the beginning, but settled in by game’s end. She allowed four runs (all earned) on eight hits and struck out two (no walks).
The day ended without fireworks as Penn failed to rally against St. Ambrose in the conclusion of last week’s postponed matchup.
Looking back to last week, the Fighting Bees took the early lead with five runs in the first and never trailed. Penn cut into the deficit with three third-inning runs, including an RBI triple by Lewis. Nieto, Miller, and Lewis scored in that inning.
The Lady Statesmen placed two on base with no outs in the fifth, but failed to bring anyone around in the loss. The Queen Bees (7-14, 4-6 MCC) outhit Penn 10-8. Nieto was 2-for-4 to pace the offense.
Daly (9-2) gave up five runs (none earned) on ten hits. She sent two batters to the dugout on strikeouts and did not offer up a base on balls.
Next: The MCC Weekend concludes tomorrow at the Lacey Complex with Penn meeting Clarke at 11 a.m. and Iowa Wesleyan at 1:15 p.m.
Lady Statesmen Record Pair of Mercy-Rule Wins
Oskaloosa–The Penn softball team did most of its work in the first innings Sunday in two dominating wins on the second and final day of the Midwest Collegiate Conference Weekend.
The Lady Statesmen (21-8, 6-2 MCC) dropped Clarke 10-0 and Iowa Wesleyan 12-1 (both in five innings). Penn remains perfect in two seasons of MCC Weekend games at the Lacey Complex (8-0).
The ‘host’ team ran out to a 6-0 lead after the first half inning of action against the Crusaders (9-13, 3-5 MCC). The first seven players that came to bat all reached base (six scored), including Brittany Labbe (So., Northridge, Calif., Chaminade HS), who smashed a grand slam home run for her first collegiate roundtripper.
Not to be outdone, Brianne Rowley (Jr., Hood River, Ore., Blue Mountain CC) and Ashley Kingery (So., Knoxville, Knoxville HS) also left the park in the fourth. Rowley’s solo shot was her tenth of the year, while Kingery’s homer, a two-run blast, like Labbe’s, was her first in the navy and gold.
Penn surprising only outhit Clarke 9-7 as Cassie Lohman (So., Burbank, Calif., Providence HS), who was struck in the face with a ball during warm-ups, stayed in the game and proceeded to lead the Lady Statesmen with a 2-for-4 showing. Labbe managed four RBIs, while Kingery had two. Rowley and Ashley Stream (Jr., Chariton, Chariton HS) both crossed home plate twice.
Jennifer Whitehead (Fr., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS) picked up the win, but it did come easy for her. The freshman (10-5) gave up seven hits, while striking out five and walking one. She allowed baserunners in all five innings and worked out of two jams with runners in scoring position.
Penn kept its momentum into its matchup with Iowa Wesleyan (6-19, 3-4 MCC), putting eight runs on the board in the first inning (first nine batters all reached base).
This time around, Penn utilized RBI singles from Stream, Labbe, and Athena Rosario (Jr., Bremerton, Wash., Olympic CC) and then two-run doubles off the bats of Christine Gamble (Jr., Pahrump, Nev., Pahrump Valley HS) and Khyia Lewis (Jr., Ottumwa, Ottumwa HS).
The Lady Statesmen gave the Tigers a breather by not scoring in the second before adding another run in the third when Lewis, who led off with a double, scored on a groundout by Ashley Nieto (Jr., Cement City, Mich., Jackson CC).
Three final runs were tallied in the fourth inning–one by Rowley on a single by Labbe and two by Stream and Labbe on a third double by Lewis. The junior centerfielder ties the program’s single-game record (since 1999) with three two-baggers.
Penn concluded the win with a 14-5 edge in hits, led by Lewis’ trio of doubles (3-for-3). Stream, Labbe, Molly Miller (So., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS), and Andrea Rensberger (Sr., Sioux City, Sioux City North HS) each posted two hits as well.
Lewis finished with four RBIs and teammates Nieto, Labbe, and Gamble contributed two, while the foursome of Rowley, Stream, Labbe, and Lewis touched each and every base on two occasions. Eight of Penn’s nine starters scored in the game.
Amber Daly (Jr., Napa, Calif., Solano CC) made sure the score held up, allowing one run (earned) on five hits. The junior (10-2) struck out two and walked a pair.
Next: Penn travels to Des Moines Tuesday to face Grand View in an MCC doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
Reynolds, Green Win in First Outdoor Competition
Pella–Weather turned for the better this weekend, allowing the Penn track and field teams their first action on the outdoor circuit by competing in the Central Invitational Saturday.
In the team races, the Statesmen placed third with 74.5 points, while host Central won the crown with 147 points. The Lady Statesmen were tenth with 16 points. Luther claimed the women’s team trophy with 131 points.
Gabriel Green (So., Anniston, Ala., Anniston HS) and Nick Reynolds (Jr., Riverton, Utah, Iowa Western CC) highlighted strong days for the navy and gold as both took home gold in their events.
Green won the 100-meter dash in a time of 10.82 seconds, narrowly defeating teammate Carlos Stepter (Sr., Highland Park, Mich., Highland Park HS) by just 0.01 seconds.
Green’s bigger performance may have come in the 200, though, as he was second with an NAIA “B” qualifying standard time of 21.58 seconds.
Reynolds matched Green on top of the podium with a win in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a time of 9:54.33, nearly 13 seconds faster than his closest competitor.
Royce Clay (Sr., Miami, Fla., Booker T. Washington HS) posted a runner-up finish in the long jump at 21-11.75, while Jonathan Pope (Sr., Starkville, Miss., Starkville HS) was second as well with a high jump of 6-4. Pope additionally placed in the long, taking fourth at 21-0.75.
The 4×100-meter relay team gave the Penn men three silvers with a time of 42.67 seconds.
The Statesmen had multiple placers in the jumps with Aaron Osborne (Fr., Brenham, Texas, College Park HS) tying for third in the high at 6-2, while Dexter Jordan (Fr., St. Louis, Mo., Forest Park CC) was seventh in the long at 20-6.25.
Blake Washington (Fr., Knoxville, Knoxville HS), with a seventh-place finish in the 800-meter run (2:02.83), and Walter Herron (Jr., Houston, Texas, Westfield HS), with a tenth-place finish in the javelin (119-2), also had top-ten showings.
Five women tallied top tens, led by Katie Burnett (Sr., Mesa, Ariz., Arizona) and her second-place and “B” qualifying standard javelin throw of 129-7.
Michaela Beck (Fr., Onawa, West Monona HS) had the fourth-fastest time in the 100-meter dash (13.26 seconds) and Nicole Rogge (Fr., Glendale, Ariz., Apollo HS) was tenth-fastest in the 800-meter run (2:36.54).
Sixth place in the shot put went to Ashley Lyons (Fr., Wichita, Kan., Wichita Collegiate HS) at 39-5.25, while Laura Gentry-Jones (Fr., Fruitland, Idaho, Fruitland HS) narrowly missed scoring points in the discus with a ninth-place showing of 110-2.
Next: Penn travels to Des Moines next Saturday to compete in the Jim Duncan Invitational hosted by Drake.
William Penn Baseball in action against Viterbo March 3rd, 2011
Baseball Drops Two to Viterbo
Oskaloosa–The Statesmen baseball team had difficulties producing in key situations Saturday as it was swept in a Midwest Collegiate Conference doubleheader by Viterbo.
Penn (16-12, 3-8 MCC) was lost the opener 5-4 and fell in the nightcap 1-0.
The home team was on its game early, scoring three runs in the opening two innings. Tony Mancuso (Jr., Covina, Calif., Citrus CC) touched home plate in the first on a sacrifice fly by Jerry Hernandez (Sr., Moreno Valley, Calif., Chaffey CC), while Richard Romero (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., West Hills CC) and Stanley Muller (Jr., Tucson, Ariz., Cochise CC) scored on RBI singles in the second from Mancuso and Miguel Castillon (Sr., Simi Valley, Calif., LA Mission CC), respectively.
The hosts’ margin remained three runs until the final frame. Viterbo (13-15, 3-5 MCC), who had been limited to just one hit through six innings by starter Darren Gay (Jr., El Cajon, Calif., San Diego Mesa CC), then opened up its offense. The rally began slowly with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, but then after the first out was recorded, the V-Hawks rattled off four straight hits, and with help from a Statesmen error, took the lead 5-3.
Penn nearly salvaged the game with some bottom-half heroics. Mancuso scored on the second out of the inning and then back-to-back batters reached base to load the bases. The tying run, however, never made it all the way around.
The Statesmen held an 8-5 advantage in hits with Mancuso going 2-for-2 and Castillon finishing 2-for-4.
Gay threw 6 1/3 innings, but did not figure into the decision. He allowed four runs (all earned) on three hits, while striking out four and walking one.
Steve Enriquez (Jr., Castro Valley, Calif., Laney CC) entered late and was saddled with the loss, giving up the winning run (unearned) on two hits. He struck out one in falling to 4-1 this spring.
Game two was as good of a pitching duel as one will witness with the programs combining for just 11 hits (6-5 Viterbo). There were only 12 total baserunners (one walk) in the matchup.
The V-Hawks broke through in the fifth with the only run. After a leadoff single, Andy Behnke moved up two bases on a pair of passed balls. He then scored on a suicide squeeze bunt by Justin Daniels.
The Statesmen advanced a runner into scoring position in both the sixth and seventh frames, only to strand them at second on each occasion.
Devin Lange (Jr., Tucson, Ariz., Paradise Valley CC) did all he could to claim victory, letting just one run in (earned) on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six with one walk. Chris Freedman (Sr., Walnut, Calif., Citrus CC) recorded the final out in relief.
Next: The teams meet again Sunday in the final contest of the series–a single, nine-inning game that begins at 1 p.m.
Statesmen Hold on for Final Game Vs. Viterbo
Oskaloosa–Behind 11 strikeouts by Dennis Neal (Jr., San Leandro, Calif., Laney CC) and a big late-game double by Brad Chin (Jr., San Rafael, Calif., San Rafael HS), the Penn baseball team squeezed out an 8-6 win over Viterbo in Midwest Collegiate Conference play Sunday.
The win snaps a three-game losing streak for Penn (17-12, 4-8 MCC).
The home team matched the V-Hawks (13-16, 3-6 MCC) with one run in the first as Jerry Hernandez (Sr., Moreno Valley, Calif., Chaffey CC) rounded the bases on a double by Kyle Humphrey (Sr., Boise, Idaho, Skagit Valley CC).
Chin put his team ahead for good in the fourth, scoring on a groundout by Cory Randall (Sr., What Cheer, Tri-County HS), while two more runs were tallied in the fifth. Chin drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Chris Witrado (Sr., Fresno, Calif., West Hills CC) and Richard Romero (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., West Hills CC) was hit by a pitch, also with the bases juiced, to bring in Humphrey.
Viterbo cut the deficit to one with two runs in the seventh, but Penn had an answer as Chin doubled to start the bottom half and then finished his path around the infield on an Aaron Laird (Jr., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS) single.
The Statesmen tacked on three extremely important insurance runs in the eighth, coming off the bat of Chin. The junior doubled home Dirck Jackman (Sr., San Jose, Calif., Mission CC), Humphrey, and Evelio Ahumada (Jr., Hacienda Heights, Calif., Citrus CC).
The 8-3 lead was almost not enough, however, as relief pitcher Chris Freedman (Sr., Walnut, Calif., Citrus CC) struggled in the final half inning and did not record an out.
He was replaced by Brad McGuire (So., Covina, Calif., Citrus CC) and despite giving up singles to his first two batters, the sophomore shut down the V-Hawks with a flyout and a game-ending 6-4-3 double play. He picked up his first career save in a scoreless ninth (two hits).
Neal (1-2) scattered nine hits in his 6 2/3 frames. He allowed three runs (all earned) and walked one against his 11 Ks. His strikeout mark is the highest for a Statesmen pitcher this spring.
Freedman let in three runs (all earned) on three hits in 1 1/3 frames. The senior struck out two and walked one.
Chin and Witrado were the unlikely offensive heroes for Penn, combining for five of the team’s ten hits (14 for Viterbo). Chin, who was 2-for-3, recorded four RBIs and two runs.
Next: Penn travels to Cedar Rapids Tuesday to face Mount Mercy in an MCC doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.
