Statesmen Split Against Nationally-Ranked Pioneers
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–The William Penn baseball team showed no signs of being intimidated by #13 MidAmerica Nazarene as it split a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday.
The Statesmen (14-9, 5-5 Heart) won the opener 8-2, but dropped the nightcap 2-0.
Robert Phiakeo (Sr., San Diego, Calif., Business Management) put the home team on the board in the bottom of the first of the initial contest when he singled home Colton Johnson (Jr., Westminster, Calif., Physical Education).
The navy and gold took advantage of two errors in the second frame en route to a four-run inning. Anthony York (Jr., Chula Vista, Calif., Physical Education) provided the biggest hit with a run-scoring triple.
Johnson then doubled in J.P. Rios (Sr., San Diego, Calif., Business Management) in the fourth, while Rios managed a triple of his own to highlight a two-run fifth inning. Johnson finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs, while Rios was also 3-for-3 with two runs scored.
Phiakeo had two hits with a pair of RBIs, and Marcus Littleton (Jr., Norwalk, Iowa, Communications) rounded the pads twice as well. WPU outhit the Pioneers 12-8 in the victory.
MNU (21-5, 6-4 Heart) countered with a run in both the third and fourth innings.
Dylan McDonald (Jr., Chula Vista, Calif., Industrial Technology) improved to 5-1 on the season, striking out six batters against three walks in the complete game win.
The offense unfortunately never showed up in the nightcap as the Statesmen were limited to three hits (MNU had six) in the pitchers’ duel. Johnson, Rios, and Daniel Macias (Jr., Chula Vista, Calif., Physical Education) each recorded one base knock each.
MidAmerica Nazarene scored right away in the first and then added an insurance run in the ninth.
Frankie Nunez (Jr., Lemon Grove, Calif., Sociology), who is now 3-2, managed three strikeouts (one walk) in 6 2/3 innings; the junior left the game with an injury. Brian Harrity (Castle Rock, Colo., Software Engineering) entered out of the bullpen and was solid in 2 1/3 frames. He tallied one K against two bases on balls.
Next Up: William Penn remains in Oskaloosa next Saturday and Sunday to host Culver-Stockton in a four-game Heart series. Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 1 p.m., while Sunday’s twinbill starts at noon.
