Statesmen End Losing Streak in Splitting MCC Opener
William Penn (4-11, 1-1 MCC) won the league opener 5-4 (8 innings), but lost the nightcap 8-2.
Oskaloosa–The losing streak is kaput, but work still has to be done to get the Statesmen softball team fully rolling towards another Midwest Collegiate Conference crown as it split with Clarke Saturday.
William Penn (4-11, 1-1 MCC) won the league opener 5-4 (8 innings), but lost the nightcap 8-2. The program’s losing streak ends at ten games.
Starting hurler Lunden Young (Sr., Lewiston, Idaho, Physical Education) got into trouble right away as the Crusaders (7-5, 1-1 MCC) went up 3-0 after three frames. WPU’s offense was of no help at that point, either, with its first 12 batters going down in order.
All of that changed in the fourth as Chelsee Herron (Jr., Anaheim, Calif., Elementary Education), Bri Zerley (Sr., Monroe, Iowa, Biology), and Jorden Steele (Sr., Tacoma, Wash., Physical Education) tallied three consecutive singles; all three later scored to knot the contest at 3-3.
An unearned tally in the top of the sixth gave CU the advantage back on a throwing error by Chyanne Koko (Fr., Waianae, Hawaii, Business Management), but the freshman redeemed herself by forcing extras with the tying run in the bottom half.
Koko then won the game as she scored unearned in the bottom of the eighth off a misplayed, hard-hit ball by Brittanee Grove (Sr., Runnells, Iowa, Elementary Education).
After a tough start, Young (3-5) settled in with eight strikeouts (two walks) in eight frames. Only three of Clarke’s four runs were earned in a sloppy game that featured 11 fielding errors, including seven by the navy and gold.
The momentum seemed to carry over into the second contest as Grove drove in Steele with a first-inning double. Unfortunately, despite both teams posting eight hits, the rest of the nightcap belonged to the visitors. The Crusaders scored three times in both the third and fifth and twice more in the seventh, while Zerley managed the only other WPU run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Koko.
Grove and Sydney Edwards (Sr., Galesburg, Ill., Psychology & Biology) were both 2-for-3 in the loss. Grove, who had five strikeouts in the circle, is now 1-3. All eight of Clarke’s runs were earned. Young also appeared out of the bullpen for 2 1/3 innings, striking out three by herself.
Next Up: William Penn finishes off a busy weekend at home on Sunday, hosting #10 Central Methodist (Mo.) in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
