Mercy-Rule Nightcap Helps WPU Split with Ashford
William Penn Women’s Athletics
Clinton–With a dominating effort in the second contest, the Statesmen softball team managed to secure a split with Ashford in non-conference action Thursday.
William Penn (8-17) lost the opener 5-3, but responded well to win the nightcap 10-1 (5 innings). After not winning by the run rule in their first 19 games, the Statesmen have accomplished the feat three times in their last six outings.
Ashford (15-13) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in its first at-bats, but the visitors pulled back in with a solo home run by Taylor Vernon (Fr., Tracy, Calif., Biology) in the second and another by Bri Zerley (Sr., Monroe, Iowa, Biology) in the fourth. Vernon’s roundtripper is her first in college; the freshman finished 2-for-3 in the first contest.
WPU, which was outhit 11-4, unfortunately failed to get any closer as the Saints put two more on the board in the fifth. Brooklyn Bantz (Fr., Smithville, Mo., Computer Science) got her team within two on an RBI single in the seventh to plate Zerley, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the rally and the game.
Paige Miguel (Jr., Hollister, Calif., Exercise Science) fell to 0-5 in the setback, giving up four earned runs (one strikeout).
The navy and gold made up for their lackluster offensive performance in the first seven innings by pounding the ball all over the diamond in the second matchup. The victors tallied a season-high 15 hits as all nine starters had at least one base knock.
WPU scored once in the first, three times in the third, twice in the fourth, and four times in the fifth to wrap it up.
Zerley left the park with a three-run homer for her team-leading fourth shot of the year. The senior was 2-for-3 with six RBIs. Chyanne Koko (Fr., Waianae, Hawaii, Business Management) also had a three-run RBI in the fifth as she posted a 3-for-4 showing (two runs scored).
Brittanee Grove (Sr., Runnells, Iowa, Elementary Education) was perfect at the dish, going 3-for-3 with three runs tallied, while Bantz had a 2-for-3 effort.
Grove (4-5) also tossed a solid game in the circle, permitting the one run on three hits. She picked up four strikeouts with one walk.
Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa Friday to host #4 Saint Xavier (Ill.) in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
