Erece Tosses One-Hitter to Help Statesmen to Split Versus Clarke

William Penn University Athletics

Peosta–Danny Erece (Sr., Chula Vista, Calif., Physical Education) sat down batter after batter as the William Penn baseball team split a Midwest Collegiate Conference doubleheader with Clarke Saturday.

The Statesmen (14-12, 4-4 MCC) lost the opener 11-2, but rebounded for a 1-0 win in the nightcap.

The visitors scored once in the first inning of game one when Kyle Mauricio (Jr., Arden Hills, Minn., Physical Education) came around on a single by Roy Perez (Jr., Avondale, Ariz., Physical Education). Unfortunately, the Crusaders (16-10, 4-2 MCC) answered back with seven in a row in the first and second.

Mauricio led off the third with a single, one of seven WPU hits (Clarke had nine), and eventually rounded the pads to make it 7-2. Although seven more Statesmen players would reach base, no one advanced past first base. Clarke put up four more in the latter innings for the victory.

Perez finished 2-for-2, while Stan Simmons (Jr., Brooklyn, N.Y., Physical Education) was 2-for-4. Brian Williams (Jr., Los Angeles, Calif., Physical Education) took the loss in a rough start. Brock Simon (Jr., Wauconda, Ill., Biology) was quite effective in relief, striking out two in 1 1/3 innings of relief.

The second matchup was a classic pitching duel with the teams combing for just four hits (WPU outhit CU 3-1). Simmons pounded a one-out double in the top of the third and then moved to a third on a wild pitch. The junior touched the final base in the next at-bat on a groundout by Mauricio.

That would be all she wrote as Erece shut down the home team, permitting only one second-inning base knock. The senior struck out three with two walks and did not allow a baserunner to get into scoring position. He was perfect in the first, third, fourth, and sixth frames.

Next: William Penn will meet Clarke for another doubleheader Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.