Statesmen Split with College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, Mo.—William Penn headed down to Missouri for the second consecutive weekend to take on College of the Ozarks for a four-game set.
The Statesmen took the first pair of games on Friday by a score of 3-2. On Saturday the teams returned to the diamond where the Bobcats took the final pair of games by a score of 4-2.
WPU 3, COFO 2
The navy and gold got on the board early as they plated a pair in the top of the first. Adrian Garcia (Sr., Ontario, Calif., Mechanical Engineering) led off the game with a single to left and was moved into scoring position two batters later as Tanner Bedier (So., Bondurant, Iowa, Business Management) singled to right-center to put runners on the corners with one down. Soren Graversen (Jr., Calgary, Alberta, Human Services) followed Bedier with a single of his own to score Garcia and give the Statesmen a 1-0 lead. After a flyout, Jameson Hart (Jr., Sarnia, Ontario, Sports Management) clutched up with a two-out double, scoring Bedier and putting the visitors up 2-0.
WPU tacked on a run in the third that ended up being the difference in the ballgame. Hart hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Graversen.
Chase Stratton (Sr., Clearfield, Utah, Sports Management) got the start on the bump for William Penn and went five strong. The senior allowed only one earned run and struck out seven in the five innings. Jacob Wiechmann (Jr., Santa Cruz, Calif., Computer Science) and Stetson Denning (So., Queen Creek, Ariz., Sports Management) combined to finish the final two innings with Wiechmann going 1 2/3 innings and Denning getting the final out to snag the save. The win for Stratton improved his record to 2-0 on the young season.
Seven Statesmen recorded a hit in the win. Bedier recorded a multi-hit outing as he finished 2-2 with a run scored. Hart was 1-2 as he drove in a pair of runs.
WPU 3, COFO 2
Offense was at a premium once again in game two with the Statesmen pulling out a win with the same result as game one.
The Bobcats got on the board first as they did so in the third inning by taking a 1-0 lead. William Penn responded and finally scratched in the fifth inning as Jake Vernon (Sr., Elkhart, Ind., Interdisciplinary Studies) took a full-count payoff pitch deep to right field to tie the game at 1-1. The visiting Statesmen took the lead in the top of the sixth as Graversen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make the score 2-1. Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived as College of the Ozarks tied things up in the bottom of the sixth. WPU scored for the third consecutive inning in the seventh as they took a 3-2 lead on a Cassian Castillo (Sr., San Leandro, Calif., Business Management) single that scored Alex Fisher (Jr., Sydney, Aus., Biology) after a bobble from the Bobcat’s left fielder.
Lionel Colon (Sr., Vieques, P.R., Business Management) received his first start of 2020 and the senior delivered by going six innings while only allowing two earned runs on two hits. Tyler Gregory (Jr., Peoria, Illinois, Exercise Science) retired College of the Ozarks in the bottom of the seventh to pick up the save and give the Statesmen their fifth win of the season.
WPU 2, COFO 4
The third game of the series went to the Bobcats as the Statesmen offense was unable to get hits in key situations despite outhitting their opponent 8-6.
William Penn was held scoreless until the seventh inning when they attempted to amount a comeback, scoring two runs before College of the Ozarks closed out the game ending the late rally.
Gregory received made his third appearance of the season and first start going five innings while surrendering four runs on six hits. Wiechmann also made an appearance throwing a scoreless inning in the sixth.
Fisher and Jarrett Hunt (Sr., Logan, Utah, Digital Communication) each logged multi-hit games finishing 2-4 and Hunt driving in a run.
WPU 2, COFO 4
The final game of the series got off to a much different start but the same result as College of the Ozarks forced a split with William Penn.
WPU struck early in the top of the first inning courtesy of a Dominic Bravo (Sr., Downey, Calif., Digital Communication) RBI single down the right field line, scoring Hunt. The lead did not last very long as the Bobcats returned the favor in the bottom of the inning tying the score at 1-1.
The navy and gold took the lead in the top of the third after Hart doubled to deep left-center field scoring Hunt. Hunt singled earlier in the inning to reach base.
Unfortunately, WPU could not hold they lead as the Bobcats not only tied up the game but took the lead in the fifth by scoring three runs and taking a 4-2 lead. Playing from behind for the first time in the game, the Statesmen could not muster the offense to equalize the score, ultimately falling 4-2.
Teddy Natter started on the hill for WPU and lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowing four earned runs. Stetson Denning (So., Queen Creek, Ariz., Sports Management) threw a scoreless inning in relief.
The Statesmen only scratched out four hits in the contest. Hunt, Bravo, and Snaider Torrealba (Sr., Barquisimeto, Ven., Sports Management) all finished 1-3 while Hart finished 1-2 with an RBI.
“Tough day against a good team.” Head Coach Mike Laird said, “We failed to throw consistent strikes and most of our hitters had a tough time with situational hitting. Defense remained strong. Two serious injuries affected our lineup as well.”
Next Up: William Penn will travel to Joplin, Missouri to take on McPherson next Friday at 1 pm.
