Statesmen Drop Pair to Culver-Stockton
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–The William Penn softball team had some late-inning issues as they fell twice to Culver-Stockton in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday.
WPU (20-30, 11-19 Heart) lost by scores of 4-2 and 9-3 (10 innings).
The hosts gave up a run in the top of the first, but knotted up the contest in the third on an RBI single by Sonia Reddy (Jr., Tracy, Calif., Exercise Science). The squad then captured a 2-1 advantage in the fourth with a solo home run by Emily Brown (Sr., Waverly, Iowa, Biology), her third of the season.
Unfortunately, C-SC (27-18, 21-11 Heart) went back on top with a two-run sixth frame. The visiting team, which outhit William Penn 5-3, tacked on one more run in the seventh to complete the game’s scoring.
Karlee-Rose Perry (Sr., Kaupo, Hawaii, General Biology) did well to keep the game close, recording seven strikeouts against two walks in five innings of two-hit work.
The Wildcats got on the board first in the second game with two runs in the first. The navy and gold answered right back in the bottom half, courtesy of Kiya Harper (Jr., Decatur, Ill., Exercise Science) leaving the park with a two-run homer. She is now tied for the team lead in roundtrippers with four.
Culver-Stockton broke the tie in the third, but helped by an error after a Brown single, the Statesmen got even at 3-3 in the sixth.
Neither squad was able to score over the next three innings, forcing the international tiebreak rule to go into effect in the 10th. The Wildcats took advantage of starting with a runner on second base, bringing six across, but WPU was not as successful and came up empty to complete the C-SC sweep.
The visitors owned a 12-10 edge in hits as Harper, Brown, Reddy, and Abby Young (Jr., Dunlap, Ill., Exercise Science) also finished with two base knocks. Perry entered out of the bullpen and battled for seven frames. The senior managed another strong showing with eight strikeouts (no walks), while allowing just three runs (all earned) on four hits.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Dubuque Wednesday to face Clarke in Heart action at 4 p.m.
