Huff Pitches First Perfect Game as Statesmen Shut Out Missouri Valley Twice
Marshall, Mo.–Chelsey Huff (Sr., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science) threw the first perfect game for the William Penn softball team in 18 years as the Statesmen took care of Missouri Valley in a doubleheader sweep to begin Heart of America Athletic Conference play.
WPU (18-8, 2-0 Heart) won by scores of 8-0 and 7-0. The sweep extends the squad’s winning streak to a season-best eight games, the longest streak since also taking eight in a row in 2023.
Huff headlined the day’s domination by being the definition of infallible against the Vikings (7-19, 0-4 Heart). The senior’s perfect game is the first of her career and the first for the program since Meghan Oden accomplished the feat on March 9, 2007 versus Bethany Lutheran (Minn.).
Huff was dealing right from the start, striking out the first nine batters she faced. She finished with 14 Ks on the afternoon.
After permitting two balls to leave the infield on flyouts (one each in the fourth and the fifth), she proceeded to record five consecutive strikeouts before capping the victory with a lineout to shortstop.
Unofficially, Huff tossed 75 pitches with an incredible 63 of them being strikes.
Huff required much less run support than she received, but the offense provided in spades, beginning with two tallies coming in the third.
Bailee Rinn (Jr., Omaha, Neb., Biology) scored on one of MVC’s five errors, while Huff helped her own cause with a sacrifice fly that plated Laila Smith (So., Olympia, Wash., Elementary Education).
An additional two runs came across in the sixth with Jessica Lathrop (Fr., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science) driving in Elyse Rios (So., Iowa City, Iowa, Business Management) on a single, and Marin Frazee (So., Sioux City, Iowa, Exercise Science) doubling in Lathrop.
Another sacrifice fly by Huff started a four-run seventh frame for the visitors. Jazmine Arispe (So., Las Vegas, Nev., Nursing) then scored on a double via Tori Smith (So., Olympia, Wash., Secondary Education). Following another error-caused score, Tori Smith touched home plate on a sac fly by Rylee Riesberg (So., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science).
Overall, William Penn managed 11 hits with both Laila and Tori Smith, as well as Laila Pelds (Jr., Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Elementary Education), finishing with two base knocks. Pelds also walked once, while Peyton Naranjo (So., Ripon, Calif., Biology) had one hit and one walk.
Huff and Lathrop each tallied two RBIs in the victory.
WPU only won the hits battle 6-5 in the nightcap, but once again took advantage of Missouri Valley’s mistakes as the hosts committed six errors.
Kya Butler (Jr., Newton, Iowa, Sports Management) provided the pop in the second inning as she sent a two-run shot over the fence; Lathrop also scored on the homer.
The visitors unfortunately had to wait five innings to do any additional damage, but then put the game away with a five-run frame.
Butler scored on an error, while Frazee came around on a sacrifice fly by Naranjo. Laila Smith then matched Butler later in the inning with her own two-run homer, and Pelds tallied the final run on a single by Lathrop.
Laila Smith and Lathrop topped WPU with two hits apiece, while Butler finished with one base knock and one base on balls. Butler scored a squad-high two runs in the win.
Madie Anderson (Sr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Elementary Education) cruised to the victory, striking out four with just one walk in the complete game. The senior only allowed two MVC players to advance to second base.
“This was a great way to start conference,” Head Coach Laura North said. “I am so happy for Chelsey Huff. She has worked long and hard for that perfect game and it is very deserved. It is a special moment for her, her family, and our program. I am so proud of our offense and our full-team wins.”
Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa next Saturday for its home opener as it faces Benedictine in a Heart doubleheader at 1 p.m.
