Statesmen Fall Short Twice at MNU
Olathe, Kan.–The William Penn softball team failed in its attempt to notch a road victory Saturday as it was swept by MidAmerica Nazarene in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader.
WPU (13-19, 2-6 Heart) lost the opener 6-4 and dropped the nightcap 5-1.
The visitors posted an 11-10 edge in hits in the first contest, but could not overcome leaving eight runners on base.
The Pioneers (18-15, 5-3 Heart) got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the first frame. The navy and gold had a scoring chance thwarted in the first, but broke through in the third when Nayely Martinez (Sr., Carson, Calif., Business Management) doubled home Abby Wilson (Sr., Calgary, Alberta, Nursing) and Laila Smith (Fr., Olympia, Wash., Elementary Education).
An inning later, Laila Smith then gave the Statesmen their first lead when her triple scored pinchrunner Bailee Rinn (So., Omaha, Neb., Biology), who was on the pads for Alexis Price (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Elementary Education) who led off the frame with a single.
The visitors continued to stay on top over the next couple of innings, but unfortunately MNU rallied with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to go up 6-3. William Penn battled back, however, narrowing the deficit in the seventh as Chelsey Huff (Jr., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science) touched home plate. The tying run was on base in WPU’s final at-bats, but the Statesmen came up short.
The quartet of Smith, Huff, Martinez, and Peyton Naranjo (Fr., Ripon, Calif., Biology) all recorded two hits, while Martinez and Naranjo both walked once as well. Price also contributed a base knock and a base on balls.
Emily Bryant (Sr., University Place, Wash., Nursing) started the outing and worked five effective innings, but did not factor into the decision. She permitted three runs (two earned) on six hits, while tallying two strikeouts.
William Penn started well in the second matchup, but was shut down from there. In the top of the first, Martinez stole second base, while the throw from the catcher was off-line, allowing Huff to score from third base on the play.
Unfortunately, that was all WPU could muster, while MNU put three on the board in the third in addition to one each in the fourth and fifth frames.
Overall, the Statesmen were outhit 9-4 in the loss with Ella Pierce (Jr., McClelland, Iowa, Business Management) leading the charge with a double.
Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa next Wednesday to host Culver-Stockton in a Heart doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
