Christner Wins 600th Game as WPU Splits Vs. Spires, Scots
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Batesville, Ark.–The William Penn softball team helped its head coach to a milestone Monday as it split a pair of non-conference games.
WPU (4-2) opened the day with a 5-4, 8-inning win over Saint Mary (Kan.) before falling 3-1 to Lyon.
Whitney Stone (Fr., Roseburg, Ore., Education) drove in the first run of the day, singling home Emily Brown (Sr., Waverly, Iowa, Biology) in the top of the first inning.
The Spires (1-6) answered with a run of their own in the bottom half. Stone and Brown combined again in the third frame for William Penn’s second run when Stone’s sacrifice fly brought in Brown.
The back-and-forth battle continued with USM tying the game in the fourth, but the navy and gold once again recapturing the edge in the fifth. Lindsay Lambert (Sr., Elk Grove, Calif., Elementary Education) did the damage this time around with an RBI single to plate Melina Fabian (Fr., Las Vegas, Nev., Exercise Science).
Saint Mary then earned its first lead of the day in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of tallies. Fortunately, a Lexi Riccardi (Jr., Redwood City, Calif., Biology) one-bagger knotted things up in the sixth as Sonia Reddy (Jr., Tracy, Calif., Exercise Science) made it 4-4.
No runs were recorded in the seventh, forcing WPU into its first extra-inning game of the season. Brown had already scored twice, but had not driven in any runs, but that all changed in the eighth when she cleared the left-field fence on a solo homer.
Reliever Katie Springer (Jr., Riverside, Iowa, Psychology and Human Services) made it stick in the bottom half to help William Penn to the win. The senior (2-0) tallied one strikeout (one walk) in four innings of work. She permitted two runs (one earned) on five hits.
Karlee-Rose Perry (Sr., Kaupo, Hawaii, General Biology) competed in the first four frames, having nearly identical numbers to Springer. She gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits, while striking out one and walking one.
Offensively, the Statesmen owned a 13-12 advantage in hits with Riccardi going 3-for-4 and Fabian finishing 3-for-5. Brown and Lexi Resa (So., Liberty, Mo., Biology) both ended up with two base knocks as well.
The victory is the 600th in the career of Head Coach Mike Christner. The skipper, in his 18th year at the helm, is now 600-375 (including both games) for a .615 winning percentage. He has guided the Statesmen to 14 winning seasons, four trips to nationals, and seven conference titles (four conference tournament crowns) in his tenure.
Springer also toed the rubber against Lyon, tossing five shutout frames and departing with a 1-0 lead. She struck out three (no walks) and allowed just four hits.
Reddy plated William Penn’s lone run, doing so in the third on an RBI fielder’s choice via Riccardi. Unfortunately, the Scots, who outhit WPU 8-7, rallied with three runs in the sixth to win.
Reddy and Brown were each 2-for-4 at the dish to pace the Statesmen batters.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Florida for its spring break trip. The week begins Sunday in Clermont, Fla. as the Statesmen face Northwestern Ohio at 3 p.m. and Trinity International (Ill.) at 5 p.m.
