Statesmen Fall for First Time in League, Split with Vikings
William Penn Women’s Athletics
Des Moines–The William Penn softball team missed numerous scoring chances, but still managed a split of a Midwest Collegiate Conference doubleheader Saturday.
The Statesmen (21-9, 5-1 MCC) lost the opener 3-2, but picked up the nightcap 4-3.
The visitors, who outhit the Vikings 9-6 in the first contest, got on the board in the second frame. Jessica Christensen (Fr., Marysville, Wash., Sociology) led off with a double and scored on a single by Sonia Ray (Jr., San Diego, Calif., Physical Education).
Grand View (13-16, 6-1 MCC) battled back with three unearned runs, though, including two in the third and one more in the fifth.
With her teams down two entering the final inning, Ashley Kingery (Sr., Knoxville, Iowa, Public Accounting) got things going with a lead-off single. She scored in the next at-bat as Carly Land (Sr., Mission Viejo, Calif., Education) recorded a pinch-hit triple. The next three batters failed to bring Land the final 60 feet, allowing the hosts to claim the win. Four other Statesmen also reached scoring position in the opener.
Ray was 2-for-2, while K.C. Routos (Sr., Newcastle, Wash., Physical Education) finished 2-for-4.
Jennifer Whitehead (Jr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Biology) was denied the win despite not giving up a single earned run. The junior (9-5) struck out six against two walks.
WPU again held an edge in hits in the second matchup, 10-7, but this time around it found a way to come away victorious. It did not come easy, though, as the Vikings took a 2-0 lead after the first inning.
The visitors loaded the bases in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, but were unsuccessful in those golden situations. The squad, which left 11 on base, fortunately got the job done prior to the bases-loaded moments, beginning in the third when Christensen drove in Ashlee Dennis (So., Loveland, Colo., Biology).
Christensen then opened the fifth with a single and was plated one batter later on a two-run home run by Bri Zerley (So., Monroe, Iowa, Biology). It is Zerley’s second roundtripper, tying Routos for the team lead. Land scored later in the frame to push the advantage to 4-2.
Grand View made it 4-3 with one run in the bottom half and then put two on base in the sixth. Fortunately, Whitehead saved the day in relief, striking out two to end the frame. The southpaw then battled past a lead-off double in the seventh to help William Penn get the win.
Routos was 2-for-3, while Christensen and Molly Miller (Sr., Kalona, Iowa, Business Management) were both 2-for-4.
Land (12-4) struck out a pair of batters against three walks in 5 1/3 innings.
Next: William Penn returns home Sunday to host Viterbo in an MCC doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
