Balanced Offense Backs Stellar Pitching as Statesmen Go 2-0 on the Day
Ozark, Mo.–The William Penn baseball team took the field in Ozark, Mo. for their third day of play in the Heart of America Athletic Conference tournament.
The Statesmen went a perfect 2-0 on the day, taking down Benedictine 5-2 before winning the nightcap against the Culver-Stockton Wildcats, 5-1.
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The heavy hitting Ravens jumped on top in the top of the third with a run, but that was the only time they held a lead in the entire ballgame. The Statesmen rallied back with two runs in the home half of the frame to jump ahead 2-1. Jarrett Hunt (Sr., Logan, Utah, Digital Communications) singled home Alex Fisher (Jr., Sydney, Australia, Biology), who reached and stole second to set up the scoring opportunity. Hunt proceeded to steal second as well, and came home with the go-ahead run to put William Penn on top 2-1.
The bats weren’t done, plating three more in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend the lead to four. Adrian Garcia (Sr., Ontario, Calif., Sociology) started the inning with a walk and was followed by a single by Hunt. Dominic Bravo (Sr., Downey, Calif., Digital Communications) walked to load the bases with nobody out, and up stepped Snaider Torrealba (Sr., Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Sports Management). Torrealba blasted a ball into the gap for extra bases to cash in two runs, remaining red-hot at the plate and pushing the lead to three. Carson Hauk (Fr., Plainview, Texas, Business Management) followed with a sacrifice fly to drive in the fifth run of the game.
That was more than enough for Tyler Gregory (Jr., Peoria Heights, Ill., Exercise Science) on this day as he baffled a very good Ravens lineup all day long. After the run allowed in the third, his only other blemish came as the Ravens added one more in the top of the sixth inning, but shut them down the rest of the way. Jacob Wiechmann (Jr., Santa Cruz, Calif., Computer Science) came on in relief of Gregory to finish off the same, and kept on mowing down the Benedictine lineup en route to a two inning save to propel the Statesmen into the consolation semifinals against the Culver-Stockton Wildcats.
Gregory was superb in what was likely his most important start of the season. He twirled seven innings of two-run ball, holding the Ravens to only six hits and a walk while striking out five. Wiechmann earned the two inning save, allowing only one hit and striking out three in the process.
A bevy of multi-hit games once again led the way for the Statesmen as the team recorded 11 hits. Hunt led the charge with a 3-4 effort, scoring twice and driving one in. Torrealba, Jameson Hart (Jr., Sarnia, Ontario, Sports Management), and Dillan Schrock (Fr., Shingle Springs, Calif.) each tallied two, with Torrealba also accounting for the only multi-RBI effort.
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Another big inning set the tone for the navy and gold early as Garcia and Hunt ripped back to back doubles to lead off the game. After Bravo singled home Hunt, Hart doubled to put two runners in scoring position once again. Franklin Aparicio (So., Panama City, Panama) singled home Bravo, and a sacrifice fly from Schrock put the fourth run on the board for the Statesmen in the opening frame.
The four run outburst proved to be more than enough for the pitching staff, which was led by the efforts of Brian Thomas (Fr., Shingle Springs, Calif.) Thomas stymied the Wildcat lineup, allowing only a single unearned run before giving the reins to Stetson Denning (So., Queen Creek., Ariz., Sports Management). Denning found himself in trouble early, but was able to work out of the jam and shut down Culver-Stockton the rest of the way. The Statesmen tacked on an extra run in the bottom of the eighth as insurance for Denning in the ninth. Denning recorded the first two outs of the ninth before Chase Stratton (Sr., Clearfield, Utah, Sports Management) came in late to record a one-out save and send the Statesmen to the consolation final.
Thomas earned the victory for his efforts, twirling five innings of four hit ball. He allowed only the one unearned run and struck out seven along the way. Denning was equally as brilliant in relief. He scattered four hits and a walk across his scoreless 3.2 innings, striking out five. Stratton retired the only batter he faced to record the save.
As it has for the whole Heart tournament thus far, the lineup provided another balanced attack to push the runs across. Eight of the nine starters recorded hits, combining for 13 as a team. Garcia and Hunt each had two from the top of the lineup, and Aparicio joined them with two as well. Hart led the way with a three-hit game, scoring twice along the way.
What’s Next: The Statesmen will play in the consolation finals against the Midamerica Nazarene Pioneers for the right to play in the Heart championship game. First pitch is scheduled for 11 AM on Monday for the consolation finals, and the championship game is scheduled for later that day. Should the Statesmen advance to the Heart finals, they will earn an automatic bid into the national tournament as well.
