Offense Explodes as WPU Takes Series from Graceland
Lamoni–The William Penn baseball team scored 30 runs on 34 hits Sunday as it blew past Graceland in a pair of Heart of America Athletic Conference games.
WPU (19-24, 11-17 Heart), which split Saturday’s twinbill, won Sunday’s games by scores of 18-4 and 12-5.
The navy and gold, who owned a 22-7 advantage in hits, scored in six of their seven innings in the opener. Ten different players recorded a base knock with seven individuals producing multi-hit performances.
The visitors jumped out to a 4-0 edge in the first frame, headlined by RBI singles from Nick George (Sr., Sarina, Ontario, Sociology) and Aiden North (Fr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Industrial Technology).
After scoring just once in the second, WPU opened it up in the third as George and Nathan Jessell (Jr., Napa, Calif., Sociology) pushed across one run each on singles.
Already up 7-1, the Statesmen put the game out of reach with a huge eight-run fourth inning. North and Joel Holguin (Jr., San Bernardino, Calif., Sociology) both pounded doubles, while overall, William Penn had eight hits in the frame and also took advantage of two GU fielding mistakes.
Hector Dominguez (So., Fontana, Calif., Exercise Science) then got into the fun with a two-run double in the fifth, while Abraham Arroyo (Jr., Camuy, P.R., Wellness and Recreation) capped the scoring with an RBI single in the sixth.
Numerous heroes were found in the Statesmen lineup, beginning with Blair Speas (Jr., O’Fallon, Mo., New Media) going 5-for-6 with four runs. George was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, while Holguin was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs, and a walk.
North accumulated three RBIs on a pair of hits, while Dominguez and Justin Martinez (Sr., Bronx, N.Y., Sports Management) each finished with two hits as well as a pair of base on balls. Froymer Ortega (Jr., Tallahassee, Fla., Wellness and Recreation), with two hits, two RBIs, and two runs, along with Zach Otten (Jr., Mapleton, Ill.) (two walks), were successful at the plate as well.
The offensive supplied more than enough support for Andres Pineda (So., Cartagena, Colombia, Business Management), who took the win with five innings of work. He permitted four runs on seven hits, while striking out three and walking three.
The visitors did not slow down in the nightcap, posting a 12-10 edge in hits, while taking advantage of six Graceland errors.
Most of William Penn’s scoring came in the first three frames, beginning with three runs in the first. Dominguez singled in George, while Otten drew a bases-loaded walk.
Martinez then sent a two-run homer over the right-center fence in the second, while George also left the park with a two-run shot as part of a five-run third inning. Speas managed an RBI double in the third as well, while Jessell plated two with a one-bagger.
GU responded with four runs in the fourth, while the Statesmen suddenly went cold with the bats. WPU eventually caught fire again in the final frame as Dominguez pushed Jessell across with a single, while North matched Otten with a bases-loaded walk.
Martinez guided the victors at 3-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs, and a walk. Jessell was not far behind with two hits in addition to a pair of RBIs and runs, while Dominguez’s two hits were good for two RBIs. George ended the day with two RBIs and four runs scored. Four other Statesmen also ended up with the pairing of a hit and a walk.
Ty Harter (Jr., Galesburg, Ill., Business Management) entered from the bullpen in the fourth and was spectacular in receiving the victory. He scattered four hits in four scoreless frames and recorded four strikeouts without a walk.
“We played some very good baseball,” Head Coach Mike Laird said. “Our outfielders, led by Zach Otten, did a great job running down some balls. Ty Harter was also strong in relief. We had a lot of hitters do well today.”
Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa next Friday to host Grand View in a Heart doubleheader at 1 p.m.
