Offense Struggles as WPU Swept by St. Ambrose

Davenport–The Statesmen softball team failed to get much going at the plate Wednesday as it was swept by St. Ambrose in a non-conference doubleheader.

WPU (3-9) fell by scores of 2-1 and 5-1.

The opener was a true pitchers’ duel with the squads combining for just five hits (3-2 edge for SAU). The Queen Bees (9-5) scored right away with a run in the bottom of the first, but starting hurler Chelsey Huff (So., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science) locked it down from there.

Unfortunately, the navy and gold were also stymied at the dish by St. Ambrose’s pitchers. The Statesmen finally broke through in fifth, though, beginning with a leadoff walk by Lexi De Leon (Fr., San Pedro, Calif. Biology). She eventually moved over to third before Kiana Young (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev., Exercise Science) drove her in on a single to knot the contest at 1-1.

The Queen Bees had the final say, however, scoring the go-ahead run in the sixth and the visitors could not produce an answer in the seventh. Huff went the entire distance, giving up two runs on three hits in six frames. She struck out four and walked three.

Valeria Quiroga (Sr., Brownsville, Texas, Sociology) was the offensive leader in the first bout with a hit and two walks drawn.

A three-run homer in the third frame put SAU in the driver’s seat in the nightcap. William Penn matched St. Ambrose with six hits apiece, including De Leon’s one-bagger that scored Huff in the top of the sixth.

The hosts tacked on one final run in the bottom of the sixth to cap the day’s scoring.

Quiroga had a double and a walk to guide the offense, while Emily Bryant (Jr., University Place, Wash., Nursing) was the more effective of WPU’s two pitchers. She tallied four strikeouts (two walks), while permitting two runs (two hits) in three innings of action out of the bullpen.

Next Up: William Penn opens its spring break trip Sunday, facing Florida National and Indiana Tech at 1 and 3:30 p.m. (CST), respectively.