Statesmen Escape with Pair of One-Run Victories to Claim Series Win
Oskaloosa–The William Penn baseball team did just enough to come out on top twice as it swept Culver-Stockton in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Sunday.
The Statesmen (19-15, 8-12 Heart) won by scores of 4-3 and 8-7 to win three of the four games in the season series.
The hosts made up for being outhit 6-3 in the opener by taking advantage of two Wildcat errors to win the first bout. C-SC (11-23, 5-15 Heart) began the day’s scoring with one run in the second and then doubled its lead with another tally in the third.
Trevor Dooley (So., Prole, Iowa, Computer Science) earned a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third and eventually came around on a single by Nick George (So., Sarnia, Ontario).
Alex Fisher (Jr., Sydney, Australia, Biology) doubled with one out in the fifth and was then driven home in the next at-bat on a single from Tim Jean (So., Libertyville, Ill., Public Accounting). The game remained knotted at 2-2 entering the seventh inning, but the visitors recaptured their edge with one run in the top half.
With their backs against the proverbial wall, the Statesmen not only tied the game, but walked it off, courtesy of two Wildcat mistakes. The first allowed Fisher to get on base with one out. The tying run then moved all the way to third after Jean was hit by a pitch and Tanner Bedier (Jr., Bondurant, Iowa, Industrial Technology) drew a base on balls.
Finally, George was gifted the heroics as his grounder to the first baseman was misplayed, allowing both Fisher and Jean to come around and the navy and gold celebration ensued.
Brian Thomas (So., Shingle Springs, Calif.) was more the competent as the starting pitcher, permitting three runs (two earned) on five hits in 6 1/3 innings on the mound. The sophomore struck out eight, while walking four, but did not figure into the decision. The win was credited to Franklin Aparicio (Jr., Panama City, Panama), who managed a strikeout in just 2/3 of a frame in the seventh.
WPU’s momentum was carried over to the first at-bats of the nightcap as it hung a mighty seven runs on the scoreboard. Bedier and George started the run with RBI doubles, while Jameson Hart (Sr., Sarnia, Ontario, Sports Management) drove in two runs on a single. Carson Hauk (So., Plainview, Texas, Business Management), Fisher, and Jean also all accounted for runs with singles. Overall, the Statesmen recorded eight hits in the inning and were helped by a C-SC error.
The Wildcats broke through with two runs in the top of the third, but WPU got one back in the bottom half. Dooley led off with a walk and later scored via a passed ball. That made the score 8-2 at that juncture, which seemed like a more than comfortable advantage.
Unfortunately, the visitors continued to fight with three runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth. Of the three hurlers William Penn employed in the second game, Hart had by far the best outing, giving up two runs on three hits in three frames. The senior, who earned the win, produced six strikeouts versus two walks. He walked one in the seventh, but induced a flyout to secure the twinbill sweep.
The navy and gold were again outhit, this time 11-9. Jean topped the victors with a 3-for-4 showing, while the trio of Hart, Hauk, and Dooley all tallied a hit and a walk in the second game.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Peru, Neb. next Friday to face Peru State in a Heart doubleheader at 1 p.m.
