William Penn Sweeps Bacone to Remain Undefeated
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Muskogee, Okla.–The Statesmen baseball team notched two more victories to stay perfect in 2019, sweeping Bacone in a non-conference doubleheader Saturday.
After Friday’s games were cancelled due to unfavorable weather, WPU (6-0) got back on the diamond Saturday and defeated the Warriors by scores of 7-0 and 10-3. The team’s 6-0 start is its best since joining the NAIA in 2002.
The visitors produced the first run of the day in the third inning and then tacked on the remainder of their scores in a six-run sixth frame. Five different batters produced a single in the sixth.
That was more than enough offense for winning pitcher Chase Stratton (Jr., Clearfield, Utah, Sports Management), who worked six highly-productive innings. The junior allowed six hits in his part of the shutout, striking out 12 and walking just two. In two outings this season, Stratton has 23 strikeouts against two walks.
Cory Vollmer (Fr., Kaufman, Texas, Secondary Education) also struck out a pair of batters in one inning of action.
Blaze Speas (Sr., O’Fallon, Mo., Wellness and Recreation) paced the offense with three hits (one double) and an RBI, while Nathan Ball (Jr., Moses Lake, Wash., Psychology) produced a pair of base knocks and an RBI. Boston Romero (Sr., Fairfield, Calif., Sociology) also drew a pair of walks in his first action of the year.
After a slow start, the offense found its way in the latter half of the nightcap as well. Down 1-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Statesmen took the lead for good courtesy of an RBI double from Speas and a run-scoring one-bagger via Jarrett Hunt (Jr., Logan, Utah, Digital Communications).
Romero, who led off the fifth with a double, scored the first of three runs in the frame. The squad then wrapped up its scoring with four tallies in the sixth, headlined by doubles from Hunt and Ball.
Ball and Hunt were 2-for-3 with one RBI apiece, while Speas was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Ball also scored twice, as did Adrian Garcia (Jr., Ontario, Calif., Mechanical Engineering).
Lionel Colon (Jr., Puerto Real, P.R., Business Management) tossed four innings to collect the win, permitting one run on three hits. The junior managed seven strikeouts with three walks.
Augie Voight (Sr., Waukegan, Ill., Secondary Education), with two strikeouts in two frames, and Stetson Denning (Fr., Queen Creek, Ariz., Sports Management), with one strikeout in one inning, also appeared on the mound for the navy and gold.
Next Up: Weather permitting, William Penn will travel to Joplin, Mo. this weekend to play a handful games at a neutral site. On Friday, the team plays Viterbo at 5 p.m., while on Saturday the Statesmen meet Midland at 1 p.m. and Mount Marty at 6 p.m. On Sunday, WPU takes on Roosevelt at 10:30 a.m. and Doane at 3:30 p.m.
