Statesmen Swept by Grand View to Open MCC
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–The William Penn baseball team has dug itself a little hole in the league after being swept by Grand View in its opener of Midwest Collegiate Conference play Saturday.
The Statesmen (10-10, 0-2 MCC) lost the opener 7-4 (9 innings) and then dropped the nightcap 9-3.
William Penn trailed 4-1 in the first game, but the hosts knotted the contest with three runs in the bottom of the fourth frame. Kyle Mauricio (Jr., Arden Hills, Minn., Physical Education) highlighted the rally with an RBI single that brought home Enrique Alvarado (Jr., Lancaster, Calif., Sociology).
Both sides were kept off the board for the next three innings of regulation and then the first extra frame, but the Vikings (10-7, 2-0 MCC) broke the tie with three in the ninth and held on for the win.
The Statesmen, who were outhit 14-6, were led by Alvarado’s 2-for-4 showing. Stan Simmons (Jr., Brooklyn, N.Y., Physical Education) rounded the bases twice.
Starting pitcher Danny Erece (Sr., Chula Vista, Calif., Physical Education) struck out six over 4 2/3 innings, while Corey Lathram (So., Brentwood, Calif., Physical Education) added three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Jacob Logan (So., Galesburg, Ill., Psychology) took the loss to fall to 0-1.
Simmons got WPU on the board early in the second matchup by coming home on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the first inning.
Unfortunately, Grand View answered with five runs in the second, including the first home run hit at Penn Field in 12 games this year. Both teams scored in the third with Mauricio touching home plate in the bottom half.
The Vikings, who owned a 12-5 edge in hitting, added three more in the fifth, while William Penn closed out the scoring when Mauricio singled in pinchrunner Austin Westercamp (Fr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Undecided) in the seventh. Mauricio finished 3-for-3.
The Statesmen used three pitchers with relief hurler Jared Shoning (Fr., Des Moines, Iowa, Business Management) throwing 2 2/3 scoreless frames (two strikeouts).
Next: William Penn remains at home Wednesday to host Viterbo in an MCC doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
