Statesmen Close Regular Season with Sweep of Peru State
Oskaloosa–The William Penn softball team did everything in its power to reach the postseason, and will now play the waiting game after sweeping Peru State in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday.
On Senior Day, WPU (21-27, 10-14 Heart) won by scores of 8-0 (5 innings) and 6-3. The navy and gold will now wait for the result of Monday’s Graceland/Missouri Valley twinbill to see if they advance to next week’s Heart Championship. WPU needs a Missouri Valley sweep over Graceland to qualify.
William Penn needed to win both of Saturday’s contests, but also required some help from Mother Nature to actually get the games in before inclement weather hit the area.
The hosts claimed an early lead in the opener and never looked back, beginning with Peyton Naranjo (Fr., Ripon, Calif., Biology) bringing in Abby Wilson (Sr., Calgary, Alberta, Nursing) on a first-inning sacrifice fly.
Laila Smith (Fr., Olympia, Wash., Elementary Education) started a four-run second frame with a bases-loaded double that scored Charley Geguzis (Sr., Williamsburg, Iowa, Business Management), Allyson Stewart (Sr., Delta, B.C., Nursing), and Zoey Jones (Sr., Ottumwa, Iowa, Elementary Education).
Laila Smith then came home on a single by Chelsey Huff (Jr., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science) to cap the big inning.
Stewart made it 6-0 in the third as she scored on a double steal by the Statesmen, while pinchrunner Bailee Rinn (So., Omaha, Neb., Biology) tacked on another run via a wild pitch in the fourth.
Huff, who mowed down the Bobcat offense in the pitching circle, closed the contest at the plate as her double scored Laila Smith.
The Statesmen outhit PSC (4-42, 1-21 Heart) by an 11-1 margin with the trio of Wilson, Laila Smith, and Tori Smith (Fr., Olympia, Wash., Secondary Education) all managing two hits. Laila Smith tallied three RBIs and two runs, while Tori Smith also walked once.
Stewart managed one walk with a pair of base on balls, while Geguzis finished one hit and one walk.
Karah Dunham (Jr., Weston, Mo., Human Services and Psychology) opened the contest with a scoreless first inning, while Huff kept Peru State off the board for four more frames. Huff, who permitted the lone Bobcat hit, struck out seven versus two walks.
In the nightcap, WPU scored five of its six runs in the second inning and fortunately finished ahead of the weather.
Jones drove in the first run of the matchup as her single plated Nayely Martinez (Sr., Carson, Calif., Business Management); Alexis Price (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Elementary Education) also scored on the play.
Geguzis’ single then scored Jones, while Laila Smith powered a shot over the left field fence that also brought in Geguzis.
The visitors finally scored their first runs of the day in the fifth to draw within three at 5-2, but never truly threatened the Statesmen.
Jones capped William Penn’s scoring in the sixth by drawing a bases-loaded walk, while PSC produced a meaningless run in the seventh to finish the afternoon.
The Statesmen held an 8-7 advantage in base knocks with Martinez and Price each tallying two. Jones had a hit and a walk as well.
Emily Bryant (Sr., University Place, Wash., Nursing) took care of business as she allowed just two earned runs in a complete game. She struck out three with one walk.
