Statesmen Sweep Yellowjackets in Home-Opening Double Dip
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–A single by Whitney Stone (Fr., Roseburg, Ore., Education) found the grass and the William Penn softball team walked off winners of two games over Graceland in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Wednesday.
WPU (13-13, 4-2 Heart) won by scores of 5-3 and 1-0.
The hosts did the day’s first damage in the bottom of the third when Lexi Riccardi (Jr., Redwood City, Calif., Biology) singled in Savannah Fleming (Sr., Gooding, Idaho, Exercise Science).
The navy and gold then blew the contest open with a four-run fourth frame. Abby Young (Jr., Dunlap, Ill., Exercise Science) brought in Stone and Lindsay Lambert (Sr., Elk Grove, Calif., Elementary Education) on a one-bagger, and Sonia Reddy (Jr., Tracy, Calif., Exercise Science) matched her with another two-run single, plating both Young and Fleming.
Karlee-Rose Perry (Sr., Kaupo, Hawaii, General Biology) cruised through the first four innings, sending all 12 batters she faced to the bench. Unfortunately, the perfect game was broken up with two GU runs in the fifth. Graceland (7-12, 1-7 Heart) then managed one more tally in the sixth to trim the margin to two at 5-3, but was held off the scoreboard in the seventh as Perry collected the ‘W’.
WPU recorded a 9-5 edge in hits, led by Reddy, Stone (two doubles), and Fleming, who were all 2-for-3 at the dish.
Perry struck out nine batters (no walks) in her complete-game effort, while only two of the three runs she allowed were earned.
The nightcap showcased a pair of strong pitching performances as Katie Springer (Sr., Riverside, Iowa, Psychology and Human Services) went toe-to-toe with GU’s Olivia Fluehr.
Neither hurler relented in the battle, permitting only one run on 10 total hits (6-4 edge for William Penn). Scoring chances were few and far between with even the best one coming up short.
With only one out in the top of the sixth, Graceland had the go-ahead run on third base. The Yellowjacket player at the plate then flared a shot into right-center, which was hauled in by Lambert. The player at third tagged up, challenging Lambert’s arm, which was a mistake as the senior sent a bullet into catcher Emily Brown (Sr., Waverly, Iowa, Biology), who applied the tag in time, ending the threat with the inning-ending double play.
With the game still scoreless entering the bottom of the seventh, Brown then went to work at the plate, delivering a one-out triple into the right-field corner. She then received a pinchrunner in the form of Cassie Bade (Fr., Genoa, Ill., Psychology). The freshman was not on the pads long, however, as the ensuing batter, Stone, looped a single into no-man’s land in shallow right field, just inside the foul line, and Bade raced in with the winning run.
Stone guided WPU by going 2-for-3, while Springer notched her first shutout of the season. The senior posted six strikeouts against two walks in the victory.
Next Up: William Penn remains in Oskaloosa Sunday to host Peru State in a Heart doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
