Statesmen Swept by Columbia
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Columbia, Mo.–The William Penn softball team gave the defending national runners-up all they could handle in the nightcap of its non-conference doubleheader Monday, but came up short in the end as it was swept by Columbia.
William Penn (11-13) fell by scores of 9-1 (5 innings) and 5-3.
The Cougars (15-7), who lost to Science & Arts (Okla.) 4-1 in last year’s NAIA title game, got on the board right away in the opener with one run in the bottom of the first.
The visitors responded with a tally of their own in the second frame as Savannah Fleming (Sr., Gooding, Idaho, Exercise Science) singled home Emily Brown (Sr., Waverly, Iowa, Biology). Neither side could produce much offense in the next two innings, but CC broke the tie with a two-run fourth frame and never looked back.
Unfortunately, WPU failed to draw any closer and the hosts slammed the door shut with six runs in the fifth to claim the mercy-rule victory.
The Statesmen were outhit 12-3 in the setback.
Pitching took center stage early in the nightcap as the contest was without a run entering the bottom of the fifth. Columbia, as it did in the first matchup, went out on top first with a run in that half frame, while the Statesmen, just as they did in the opener, bounced back in the next half inning.
Lexi Riccardi (Jr., Redwood City, Calif., Biology) managed a two-run single to plate Lexi Resa (So., Liberty, Mo., Biology) and Jasmine Gonzalez (Fr., Las Vegas, Nev., Kinesiology) and the navy and gold had their first lead of the afternoon at 2-1. It was short-lived, however, as the Cougars again erupted late, tallying four runs in the sixth.
Down 5-2 entering its final at-bats, William Penn refused to go quietly, however, and Lindsay Lambert (Sr., Elk Grove, Calif., Elementary Education) drove Fleming home to trim the deficit to two.
WPU eventually put the tying run in scoring position, but unfortunately failed to bring her around and CC finished the sweep.
Hayley Freestone (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev., Business Management) was 2-for-3 as the Statesmen were outhit 9-6. Katie Springer (Sr., Riverside, Iowa, Psychology and Human Services) struck out three in her complete-game effort inside the circle.
Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa to host Graceland in a Heart doubleheader at 4 p.m.
