Offensive Explosion Highlights Sweep of Second Day in Arizona
William Penn Women's Athletics
Tucson, Ariz.–A great showing at the plate helped the Lady Statesmen diamond stars open up their first winning streak of 2012 Monday.
William Penn (3-5) pounded Judson (Ill.) 17-1 (five innings) and then rallied to defeat Great Falls (Mont.) 6-4. After starting 0-5, the program has now reeled off three consecutive wins.
In scoring the most runs since May 2010, the navy and gold may have found their offensive mojo.
The squad opened the afternoon against Judson with two runs in the first and never slowed down. KC Routos (Jr., Newcastle, Wash., Pierce CC) brought both runners in on a two-out double.
The Eagles struggled fielding the ball in the third, allowing four more runs (all unearned) to come home.
A seven-run bashing followed in the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Routos and a bases-clearing, three-run double from Molly Miller (Jr., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS).
The final four runs were recorded in the fifth frame as Miller picked up another two RBIs on her third double of the day (ties single-game school record since 1999).
All nine starters posted a base knock in the win with Miller topping the crew at 3-for-4. The junior finished with five RBIs and two runs scored. Routos was 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a pair of runs.
Others with big days included Athena Rosario (Sr., Bremerton, Wash., Olympic CC) going 2-for-3 and the duo of Ashley Stream (Sr., Chariton, Chariton HS) and Brianne Rowley (Sr., Hood River, Ore., Blue Mountain CC) matching Routos at 2-for-4.
Stream notched two RBIs, while Rosario, Khyia Lewis (Sr., Ottumwa, Ottumwa HS), and Cassie Lohman (Jr., Burbank, Calif., Providence HS) all touched home plate three times. Rowley rounded the bags twice. A season-high total of 15 hits were produced against Judson.
The plate support was way more than enough for Jennifer Whitehead (So., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS) to collect her first win of the year. The sophomore (1-3) allowed one run (earned) on four hits. She struck out six and walked four.
The nightcap had the makings of a similar result with William Penn getting its first two batters around the infield for an early 2-0 lead. The Argos split the lead in half with a run in the second.
Christine Gamble (Sr., Pahrump, Nev., Pahrump Valley HS) then built the advantage back to two runs with a lead-off solo home run in the fourth. It is the first roundtripper for the Lady Statesmen this season.
Unfortunately, Great Falls finally broke through in the fifth, recording half of its six hits in a three-run frame.
William Penn failed to get anything going in the sixth and was down to its final out in the seventh before mounting a tremendous charge.
Miller came off the bench to start the rally with a pinch-hit single. Rowley tacked on another one-bagger before Lewis brought in a pair with the go-ahead, two-run double.
Routos concluded the improbable comeback with a single that plated Lewis.
Nicole Danna (Jr., Boone, Iowa Central CC) struck out two in the bottom half to move to 2-1.
The Lady Statesmen rapped out 11 hits as Lewis led the way with a 3-for-4 performance. Routos also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4. Both managed two RBIs.
Rikki Picariello (Sr., Port Coquitlam, B.C., Olympic CC) scored twice in the win as well.
Danna gave up four runs (all earned) on six hits, while striking out nine (two walks). The junior is loving the warm weather as she has fanned 20 hitters in her last two outings.
The navy and gold did not commit an error all day, which is a tremendous feat considering the squad had posted 19 in its first six contests.
Next: The Lady Statesmen hit the diamond three times Tuesday. The day begins with a noon showdown against Trinity International (Ill.) before meeting #15 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday concludes against Cornerstone (Mich.) at 7:30 p.m. (times are CST).
