Statesmen Drop Extra-Inning Contest to Finish 2024
Ozark, Mo.–The Statesmen baseball team played its final innings of the 2024 season Saturday as it fell 6-5 in a 10-inning heartbreaker to #4 seed Park at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship.
#8 seed WPU (24-27) was looking to eliminate another foe from the tournament, but could not vanquish the Pirates despite posting a 15-13 edge in hits.
Neither squad put a run on the board in the first, but the navy and gold grabbed the lead in the second, a lead they would hold for most the evening.
Nathan Jessell (Jr., Napa, Calif., Sociology) broke the scoreless tie with an RBI single that plated Froymer Ortega (Jr., Tallahassee, Fla., Wellness and Recreation). WPU did all of its damage with two outs in the frame.
The Statesmen added two more tallies in the third, beginning with Nick George (Sr., Sarina, Ontario, Sociology) tagging up and scoring off a sacrifice fly by Justin Martinez (Sr., Bronx, N.Y., Sports Management), while Hector Dominguez (So., Fontana, Calif., Exercise Science) pushed Abraham Arroyo (Jr., Camuy, P.R., Wellness and Recreation) home on a single.
Brian Thomas (Sr., Shingle Springs, Calif., Sports Management) held down the Pirates through six impressive shutout innings, permitting only five hits with one strikeout.
Thomas left the game entering the top of the seventh, and unfortunately PU immediately took advantage, getting all three runs back in that frame. Dominguez quickly put William Penn back ahead, though, when he powered a pitch over the right field wall for a two-run homer (Martinez also scored).
The Pirates roared back with two runs in the top of the eighth to knot the score at 5-5. The Statesmen had an opportunity to win in walk-off fashion in the ninth, but were turned away.
Park then claimed its first edge of the contest at 6-5 in the top of the 10th. WPU put runners on the corners in the bottom of the frame, but was unable to bring anyone around and saw its season come to a close.
Eight different Statesmen produced a hit Saturday with Dominguez leading the charge at 4-for-6 with three RBIs. He was a triple away from hitting for the cycle.
George (and a walk), Arroyo, Jessell, and Ortega all added two hits each, while Martinez, Marco Ayala (So., San Francisco, Calif., New Media), and Zach Otten (Jr., Mapleton, Ill.) contributed one base knock and one walk apiece.
Abel Madueno (Jr., San Bernardino, Calif., Business Management) worked the final three frames, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
“This was a tough way to end the season, especially after having the lead most of the game,” Head Coach Mike Laird said. “All in all, the guys played some very good ball against the toughest schedule we have had since joining the Heart.”
“I want to thank the seniors for the great efforts they made this year, especially late in the season and into the conference tournament,” Laird added. “We will miss them greatly.”
