Statesmen Split Four-Game Road Series with Lyon
William Penn University Athletics
Batesville, Ark.–A couple of tough outings were countered by a pair of solid performances as the William Penn softball team went 2-2 against Lyon in non-conference action Friday and Saturday.
WPU (4-5) won Friday’s opener 2-0 before dropping the nightcap 9-1 (5 innings). On Saturday, the Statesmen lost the first game 6-2 and then rebounded for a 7-2 victory.
WPU 2, Lyon 0
The weekend began with a great pitching duel as the teams combined for only five hits (WPU held a 3-2 edge).
A two-hit shutout by Brittany Ensley (Fr., Harrisburg, Ore., Exercise Science) was fortunately not wasted as Chyanne Koko (Jr., Waianae, Hawaii, Physical Education) scored the lone runs with a two-run home run in the sixth inning, also scoring Michelle Castro (Fr., Acampo, Calif., Business Management) on the roundtripper.
Castro led the navy and gold with two hits, while Ensley tallied one strikeout against one walk in the complete game victory.
Lyon 9, WPU 1
The Statesmen looked poised to sweep Friday’s doubleheader by loading the bases in the first frame. The visitors failed to bring any runs across, however, and then again left runners on the pads in the second inning.
The Fighting Scots (5-8) unfortunately made WPU pay for its missed opportunities as they scored all nine of their runs in the bottom of the second.
William Penn, which actually outhit Lyon 9-8, tallied their only run in the third when Taylor Vernon (Jr., Tracy, Calif., Ripon HS) singled home Koko. Eight different players managed a hit with Emily Brown (Jr., Waverly, Iowa, Biology) going a team-best 2-for-3.
Katie Springer (Riverside, Iowa, Undecided) was solid in relief, permitting only two hits (one strikeout) in 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
Lyon 6, WPU 2
The hosts fell behind 4-0 early, but trimmed the deficit with a run in the third when Koko’s double drove in Castro.
The Fighting Scots answered with a run each in the third and fourth innings to go up 6-1. WPU, which lost the hitting battle 9-2, capped the game’s scoring when Jenny Navarro (Jr., Bellflower, Calif., Elementary Education) crossed home plate in the sixth inning.
Springer gave up just one earned run through four innings, including a strikeout.
WPU 7, Lyon 2
The home squad got on the board first with a run in the third, but the navy and gold captured the lead for good with a five-run fourth frame, benefitting from four LC errors.
The Statesmen finished off the weekend with two additional scores in the sixth as a double by Haleigh Hammel (Jr., Hamilton, Ill., Biology) brought in Castro and Sonia Reddy (Fr., Tracy, Calif., Exercise Science).
Brown guided her team with a 3-for-3 effort, while Castro was 2-for-3; William Penn outhit Lyon 9-8 in the triumph.
Dalaney Bice (Fr., Woodward, Iowa, Human Services & Psychology) struck out five batters (four walks) and scattered eight hits in a complete-game effort.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Tucson, Ariz. for its annual spring break trip from March 3-8. The week will include 10 games over the six-day trek.
