Statesmen Open Arizona Week with 5-1 Mark
William Penn University Athletics
Tucson, Ariz.–The William Penn softball team has enjoyed a strong start to its spring break trip with five wins in its first six games at the Tucson Invitational Games Friday through Sunday.
WPU (9-6) began play Friday with a 7-3 win over Bethel (Ind.) and an 11-9 triumph over La Sierra (Calif.). On Saturday, the navy and gold defeated Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) 10-0 (5 innings) and dropped Madonna (Mich.) 8-4. Then on Sunday, the Statesmen won 5-4 over Lawrence Tech (Mich.) before ending their six-game winning streak with an 8-1 loss to St. Francis (Ill.).
WPU 7, Bethel 3
William Penn was tied at 2-2 after two frames, but highlighted by a three-run fourth frame, it pulled away for the victory. The Statesmen outhit the Pilots 14-4 to overcome three errors.
Kodee Johnson (Sr., Stockton, Calif., General Mathematics), Sonia Reddy (Fr., Tracy, Calif., Exercise Science), and Jenny Navarro (Jr., Bellflower, Calif., Elementary Education) all finished 3-for-4 at the plate, while Reddy scored twice.
Brittany Ensley (Fr., Harrisburg, Ore., Exercise Science) struck out five against two walks in a complete game. Only two of the runs she gave up were earned.
WPU 11, La Sierra 9
The Statesmen pounded out 17 hits to hold off LSU’s 14 base knocks. WPU again overcame a tough defensive effort with six fielding mistakes.
William Penn scored six runs in the third and also had a solid fifth frame with three more tallies. Six different players posted multiple hits, led by Taylor Vernon (Jr., Tracy, Calif., Ripon HS) and Chyanne Koko (Jr., Waianae, Hawaii, Physical Education) who both had three base knocks. Vernon drove in two runs, while Koko crossed home plate three times.
Reddy, Navarro, Esthefany Martinez (Jr., Hacienda Heights, Calif., Business Management), and Michelle Castro (Acampo, Calif., Business Management) added two hits apiece. Castro hammered a three-run home run, while Navarro matched her with three RBIs as well. Reddy also accounted for two RBIs.
WPU 10, Baldwin Wallace 0
The navy and gold, who outhit BW 11-2, pushed four across in the third and five more in the fifth to secure the run-rule victory.
Koko had a big outing, leaving the park as part of a 2-for-3 showing with five RBIs. Castro, Navarro, and Emily Brown (Jr., Waverly, Iowa, Biology) had a pair of hits as well, while Navarro finished with two RBIs. Castro and Reddy also rounded the pads two times.
Dalaney Bice (Woodward, Iowa, (Human Services & Psychology) was impressive in the circle, striking out one in a two-hit shutout.
WPU 8, Madonna 4
William Penn jumped out to a 7-0 advantage and won in a game in which it outhit the Crusaders 13-12.
Koko and Johnson were both 3-for-4, while Castro posted a 2-for-5 effort with two RBIs and two runs scored. Brown added two hits as well, while Reddy touched home base on two occasions.
Brittany Ensley (Fr., Harrisburg, Ore., Exercise Science) entered in relief and hurled five solid innings of one-run ball (unearned) to get the win. She struck out one and scattered seven hits in her performance.
WPU 5, Lawrence Tech 4
The Statesmen came up short in the hits column 12-8, but put runs on the board in four separate innings to notch the victory. Koko, with three RBIs, and Castro, with two runs scored, each managed two hits.
St. Francis 8, WPU 1
The streak ended as the Fighting Saints tallied four runs in the third and secured the win with a three-run seventh frame.
WPU came up short in hits at 12-6 with Johnson guiding her team at 2-for-4.
Next Up: William Penn returns to action Tuesday, facing Newbury at 2:30 p.m. and Dordt at 4:30 p.m. (CST)
