Statesmen Post First League Sweep of Season
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Peru, Neb.–Numerous individuals contributed as the William Penn softball team swept Peru State in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Wednesday.
WPU (10-12, 4-2 Heart) won by scores of 6-5 and 8-2. It is the program’s first sweep in conference play this year.
The Bobcats (4-16, 0-8 Heart) took the early lead with one run in the first, but the navy and gold answered with two runs in the top of the third when Dalaney Bice (So., Woodward, Iowa, Human Services & Psychology) homered, also scoring Sonia Reddy (So., Tracy, Calif., Exercise Science). The homer is Bice’s team-leading fifth of 2018.
PSC got both of those runs back in the third, however, on a two-run shot of its own, and then extended the advantage to 5-2 in the fifth with another two-run roundtripper.
The visitors had the final say, though, posting four runs in the sixth frame. Lexi Herbert (Jr., King City, Mo., Secondary Education) and Nicole Flatley (Jr., Santa Maria, Calif., Psychology) started the rally with consecutive hits, and came home on a sacrifice fly by Reddy. Bice drove in Flatley on a double, while Morgan Goslin (Jr., The Dalles, Ore., Sports Management) hit a single to bring in pinchrunner Emily Marcus (So., Bloomfield, Colo., Communications). Goslin scored the eventual game-winning run in the next at-bat on a triple by Roxanna Jensen (Sr., Coto de Caza, Calif., Psychology).
Peru State put runners on base in the sixth and seventh, but were denied in both innings.
WPU outhit PSC 11-10 with Bice leading the way with a 3-for-5 performance. Jensen was perfect at the dish at 2-for-2 with two walks, while Flatley was also 2-for-2. Reddy had a pair of hits and a walk in the opener.
Chyanne Koko (Sr., Waianae, Hawaii, Physical Education) struck out two with one walk in 4 2/3 innings as the starter, while Jillian Calabrese (Fr., Anthem, Ariz., Elementary Education) claimed the win with two more K’s in 2 1/3 innings of scoreless work (four hits).
William Penn jumped on top in its first at-bats of the nightcap and never looked back. The victors took advantage of two Bobcat errors (team had five overall) to plate four first-inning runs. Jensen singled home Koko, while Jensen and Lexi Resa (Fr., Liberty, Mo., Biology) both came around on a one-bagger from Hayley Freestone (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev., Business Management).
The Statesmen then added one run each in the second, third, fourth, and fifth frames with Goslin and Flatley both producing run-scoring singles during that stretch.
Eight of WPU’s starters managed a base knock in the win, led by Freestone going 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Resa was also 2-for-4 with three runs scored, while Goslin was 2-for-3 (one walk as well).
Katie Springer (Jr., Riverside, Iowa, Undecided) took care of the Peru State offense, scattering seven hits in a complete-game effort. She tallied two strikeouts against one walk in the victory.
Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa Thursday to host #16 Grand View in a Heart doubleheader at 5 p.m.
