Errors, Missed Opportunities Spoil Season-Opening Weekend
William Penn University Athletics
Batesville, Ark.–The Statesmen softball team improved as the weekend progressed, but unfortunately not enough to pick up a victory as it opened 2016 winless against Lyon in a pair of non-conference doubleheaders Friday and Saturday.
William Penn (0-4) began the year Friday with a 5-0 loss and a 6-1 setback. The team then fell two more times Saturday in one-run affairs, 3-2 and 5-4.
Lyon 5, WPU 0
William Penn unfortunately had more fielding errors (5) than hits (4) in the setback. All of the Fighting Scots’ runs were unearned against pitcher Elizabeth Whitaker (Jr., Azalea, Ore., Exercise Science). Lyon scored one run each in the first, fifth, and sixth innings, and two more in the fourth. Whitaker finished with three strikeouts against no walks.
The navy and gold had chances to cut into the deficit, but left the bases loaded in the third and sixth. They also had a runner get thrown out at the plate in the fourth.
Chyanne Koko (So., Waianae, Hawaii, Business Management) and Molly LaMotte (Jr., Enumclaw, Wash., Exercise Science) both produced a hit and drew a walk.
Lyon 6, WPU 1
Koko finally put the Statesmen on the board with a solo home run in the first inning, but the hosts answered with two one-run shots of their own in the bottom half. Lyon tacked on another in the third and three more in the fourth and eventually outhit the Statesmen 6-2.
Beyond the Koko homer, William Penn failed to produce much at the plate. Paige Miguel (Sr., Hollister, Calif., Exercise Science) went five innings in the setback, while Koko tossed one inning of relief.
Lyon 3, WPU 2
The offense began to click better in Saturday’s opener as WPU owned an 8-4 edge in hits, but defensive issues plagued the squad once again. Three errors led to all of Lyon’s runs being unearned against Whitaker (0-2). She matched Friday’s strikeout total with another three Ks.
WPU put runners into scoring position in five of the seven frames, but could only get run support in the fifth. Tricia Bonifacio (Jr., Lahaina, Hawaii, Psychology) led off with a single and then later she and Koko scored on a bases-loaded single by LaMotte. Still down 3-2, the Statesmen were unable to tally the equalizer.
Robertson finished 2-for-3, while three players recorded doubles in the contest.
Lyon 5, WPU 4
The weekend finale was going in William Penn’s favor, but three unanswered runs allowed the Fighting Scots to complete the sweep.
Brooklyn Bantz (So., Smithville, Mo., Computer Science) hit the biggest of the three second-inning doubles as WPU scored a trio of runs in the frame.
The home squad cut the margin to 3-2 entering the fifth, but LaMotte extended it back to 4-2 with a one-out triple to plate Robertson. LaMotte was unfortunately stranded there and Lyon scored once in the bottom half and two more times in the sixth.
Koko earned the start, permitting three runs (all earned) on seven hits in six innings of work; she struck out two as well. Miguel took over in the sixth and could not shut down the opposition to fall to 0-2 on the season.
Offensively, LaMotte managed two of her team’s seven hits (Lyon had nine base knocks).
Next Up: William Penn travels to Fort Worth, Texas next Friday and Saturday to compete in the Cowtown Classic. On Friday, the Statesmen meet #4 LSU-Alexandria at 3 p.m., Tabor (Kan.) at 5 p.m., and Southwestern (Kan.) at 9 p.m. On Saturday, WPU faces Baker (Kan.) at 9 a.m. and Concordia (Neb.) at 11 a.m.
