Offense Flips Switch to Net Split Vs. Baker
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–After being nearly no-hit in the opener, the Statesmen softball team woke up its bats to claim a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader split against Baker Saturday.
WPU (14-19, 3-5 Heart) fell 2-0 in the first game, but won the second contest 7-1.
Chyanne Koko (So., Waianae, Hawaii, Business Management) was locked up in a pretty good pitchers’ duel with BU’s Olivia Brees in the opener as neither side could plate a run in the first four innings.
The Wildcats (26-19, 5-7 Heart), who outhit the navy and gold 6-1, finally got on the board in the fifth, though, and then tacked on an insurance run in the sixth.
Kodee Johnson (Jr., Stockton, Calif., General Mathematics) made sure Brees did not walk off the diamond with a no-hitter as she reached on a single in the seventh. Unfortunately, William Penn failed to bring her or anyone else around in the loss.
Koko allowed just one earned run with a strikeout and a walk.
After coming up short in the day’s first seven frames, the hosts got right to work in the first inning of the nightcap. Three hits were assisted by three wild pitches as the Statesmen managed a three-run inning and they never looked back.
Kayla Browning (Jr. Spring Valley, Calif., Biology) and Taylor Vernon (So., Tracy, Calif., Biology) then both roped doubles in the third inning to plate an addition two runs.
Baker got one back in the fifth, but Browning and Vernon put the contest out of reach in the sixth by scoring runs on a double and a sacrifice fly, respectively.
William Penn outhit BU 11-8 in the second matchup as Koko led the way by going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Vernon was 2-for-2 and Browning and Chelsee Herron (Sr., Anaheim, Calif., Elementary Education) each finished the win going 2-for-4; Herron scored twice.
Tabitha Scott (Fr., Placentia, Calif., Psychology) worked through a few trouble spots, tallying one strikeout without a walk.
Next Up: William Penn remains in Oskaloosa Sunday to host Benedictine in another Heart doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
