Statesmen Split Season-Opening Doubleheader
Salina, Kan.–The William Penn baseball team got their season started with a doubleheader against the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes. They split the doubleheader, dropping the opening contest 9-6 before taking game two 11-4.
WPU 6, KWU 9
After a scoreless first inning from both sides, William Penn got on the board for the first time in 2022 in the second. Jameson Hart (Sr., Sarnia, Ontario, Sports Management) got things started with a walk and promptly stole second base. Two batters later, a ground-rule double from Soren Graversen (Jr., Calgary, Alberta, Human Services) drove him home, and Tim Jean (So., Libertyville, Ill., Public Accounting) came through with a two-out double to send Graversen home.
Brian Thomas (So., Shingle Springs, Calif.) got himself into some trouble in the home half of the second, but induced a lineout to second and stranded two runners in scoring position with a strikeout to keep the Coyotes off the board. The hosts were able to break through in the third, however, and cut the deficit in half after a two-out RBI.
In the top half of the fourth, the navy and gold extended their lead. Alex Perreira (Jr., San Leandro, Calif., Digital Communication) drew a walk to start the inning, and Jackson McLain (Jr., Farmington, Minn., Business Management) came in to pinch run. McLain swiped second, and Nathan Jessell (Fr., Napa, Calif., Sociology) split the right-center gap for extra bases and an RBI. Jean and Trevor Dooley (So., Prole, Iowa, Computer Science) drew free passes, and Tanner Bedier (Jr., Bondurant, Iowa, Industrial Technology) drove in a run after grounding into a forceout to give WPU a 4-1 lead.
Unfortunately, the Coyotes got those two runs right back in the bottom half of the inning to once again make it a one-run game. Both teams went scoreless in the fifth, but the Statesmen struck again in the sixth. Jessell and Jean each reached base, and Dooley cashed them both in with a single to center. Once again, Kansas Wesleyan had an answer, and they tacked on six runs in the home half of the inning to make it 9-6, and won the game by the same score.
Jean reached base all four times he came to the plate with two hits and two walks. Graversen also had a multi-hit performance. Thomas worked four innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out seven.
WPU 11, KWU 4
The William Penn offense got off to another hot start with two runs in the opening frame as Dooley drove in Jean and, a few batters later, Hart doubled home Bedier. Once again, KWU had an answer, and hit back for three runs in the bottom half.
The navy and gold ignited another rally in the third. Bedier hustled out a single, and Jessell drew a free pass. Hart singled through the left side to drive in Bedier, and Alex Fisher (Sr., Sydney, Australia, Biology) singled up the middle to score Jessell. Hart moved to third on a flyout and Fisher swiped second to set things up for Carson Hauk (So., Plainview, Texas, Business Management), who came through with a two-RBI single to give the Statesmen a 6-3 lead.
After the shaky first inning, Nick George (So., Sarnia, Ontario) locked in, allowing only one more runner to cross the plate in his final four innings of work. Hart continued his big day in the fourth, blasting a three-run homer into dead-centerfield to push the lead to six. WPU added two more runs, including a solo shot from Graversen, en route to an 11-4 victory.
Jean had another great game from the top of the lineup, turning in a three-hit effort. Hart and Hauk both had three hits as well, with Hart also driving in four runs in the process. Bedier came across the plate three times, with Jessell and Hart each scoring twice.
George pitched five innings, earning the victory while striking out five. Bret Whiffen (So., Green Bay, Wis., Exercise Science) closed out the final two innings, tossing two scoreless frames and allowing just one hit.
“Good to bounce back from the first game”, said Head Coach Mike Laird. “Offense and defense were solid. Pitching must improve.”
What’s Next: The Statesmen close out their opening series with another doubleheader tomorrow against the Coyotes. First pitch is scheduled for 1 PM.
