Statesmen Swept in Home-Opening Twinbill
Oskaloosa–The William Penn softball team was unable to take advantage of home field advantage as it was swept by Mount Mercy in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Friday.
WPU (13-17, 2-4 Heart) lost its first two home contests of 2024 by scores of 5-4 and 16-7 (6 innings).
The navy and gold posted an 11-8 edge in hits in the first outing, but could not bring around enough runners, leaving eight on base (three left on for MMU).
The Mustangs (12-14, 2-4 Heart) started the scoring with three runs in the top of the third inning, but the home squad answered immediately with three runs of its own in the bottom half, all with two outs already recorded.
Laila Smith (Fr., Olympia, Wash., Elementary Education) initiated the rally with a solo home run over the right-center fence, while Chelsey Huff (Jr., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science) singled in Abby Wilson (Sr., Calgary, Alberta, Nursing).
Huff eventually knotted the score by coming in on a wild pitch.
Huff, who was also William Penn’s starting pitcher, joined Laila Smith by clearing the right-center wall with a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth.
Unfortunately, MMU recaptured the lead in its next half inning on a two-run homer. The Statesmen put runners on base in both the sixth and seventh frames, but could not score them.
Peyton Naranjo (Fr., Ripon, Calif., Biology) was perfect at the dish by going 3-for-3 (one double) with a walk. Huff was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, while Laila Smith had one hit along with two bases on balls.
Huff went all seven innings, giving up five runs on eight hits. She struck out one in the setback.
Mount Mercy had a huge first inning in the nightcap, sprinting out to a 6-0 edge.
The hosts responded, though, getting back all six runs over the next two frames. Naranjo highlighted a three-run first with a single that plated Wilson, while Huff brought in Charley Geguzis (Sr., Williamsburg, Iowa, Business Management) and Allyson Stewart (Sr., Delta, B.C., Nursing) with a one-bagger in the second.
Unfortunately, the Mustangs could not be tamed as they scored 10 unanswered runs, including seven in the fourth and three more in the sixth.
WPU attempted to stay alive in the bottom of the sixth, but could only produce one run as Wilson’s single scored Crystal Warren (Fr., Las Vegas, Nev., Secondary Education).
Outhit 14-9, the navy and gold also committed three fielding errors (one for MMU). Geguzis topped the hitters with a 3-for-3 outing, while Naranjo went 2-for-3. Huff tallied one hit with one walk as well.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Olathe, Kan. Saturday to face MidAmerica Nazarene in a Heart doubleheader at 1 p.m.
