William Penn Athletics News March 19
William Penn Statesmen split their home opener versus Clarke March 19, 2011
Penn Rebounds to Split Home and League Openers Against Clarke
Oskaloosa–One nightmare of an inning ruined what was otherwise a very solid day by the Statesmen baseball team in its home openers versus Clarke in Midwest Collegiate Conference play Saturday.
Penn (14-5, 1-1 MCC) lost the opener 11-3, but claimed the nightcap 5-0. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak.
The teams entered the third inning of the first contest tied at zero, but the Crusaders (5-6, 1-1 MCC) quickly found their groove in collecting eight hits in a ten-run frame.
Starter David Ness (Jr., Purcellville, Va., Frederick CC) (2 IP, 6 R, 6 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 1 K) was bounced from the game as was reliever Jorge Quezada (So., San Ysidro, Calif., Castle Park HS) (0 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 H, 2 BB). Ness dropped to 2-2 with the setback.
Jonathan Davis (Jr., San Diego, Calif., Southwestern CC) performed very well as the third hurler, but it was much too late as Penn could not rally for enough offense. The junior gave up just two runs (one earned) on four hits in five frames of work. He struck out three against one walk.
The home team extended the game in the fifth frame on an RBI single by Miguel Castillon (Sr., Simi Valley, Calif., LA Mission CC) to plate pinchrunner Daniel Wehr (Jr., Sigourney, Sigourney HS).
The Statesmen gave up a run in the top of the sixth, forcing them to again score to extend the contest. They accomplished the feat by putting two on the board with pinchrunner Tony Mancuso (Jr., Covina, Calif., Citrus CC) coming around and Evelio Ahumada (Jr., Hacienda Heights, Calif., Citrus CC) singling home Cory Randall (Sr., What Cheer, Tri-County HS).
Unfortunately, there no miracle in the seventh and Penn lost for the first time since March 3. The Statesmen were outhit 13-6, including one base knock by six different players.
With a supply of power, Penn’s fortunes improved in the second game. Chris Witrado (Sr., Fresno, Calif., West Hills CC) broke a scoreless tie in the third with a two-run home run, also scoring Wehr, who was pinchrunning for Danny Walsh (Jr., Crystal Lake, Ill., McHenry County CC). The roundtripper is Witrado’s second of the campaign.
Kyle Humphrey (Sr., Boise, Idaho, Skagit Valley CC) tacked on another run just three batters later with a double to plate pinchrunner Quezada.
Witrado also began the scoring sequence in the fifth, reaching on an error. He later rounded the bases as did Jerry Hernandez (Sr., Moreno Valley, Calif., Chaffey CC) on a single via Randall.
Entering Saturday, Darren Gay (Jr., El Cajon, Calif., San Diego Mesa CC) had only appeared in relief (six games), but he made a serious case for a starting spot by tossing a two-hit shutout. The junior (2-0) struck out five with one walk and allowed only three total baserunners.
Next: The teams meet again tomorrow in the rubber match of the series–a single, nine-inning game beginning at noon.
Penn Dominates Nightcap in Split with Bellevue
Bellevue, Neb.–The Lady Statesmen softball team recorded a pair of big innings to salvage a doubleheader split against Bellevue in non-conference play Saturday.
Penn (15-6) lost the heartbreaking opener 3-2, but responded with an 11-1 (5 innings) victory. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak.
The visitors made the first noise of the day when Cassie Lohman (So., Burbank, Calif., Providence HS) singled home Ashley Nieto (Jr., Cement City, Mich., Jackson CC) in the first frame.
The Bruins (6-11) answered back with a run in the second, only to give it right back to Penn in the third. Molly Miller (So., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) opened the inning with a walk and was then driven around on a double by Brianne Rowley (Jr., Hood River, Ore., Blue Mountain CC).
Unfortunately, the lead would not stand up as Bellevue scored twice in the sixth and held on for victory. Rowley was in scoring position in the final frame, but was stranded at second.
Rowley paced her squad with a 2-for-3 showing, while Penn held a 5-4 edge in hits.
Jennifer Whitehead (Fr., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS) pitched well in the loss, striking out four with two walks in falling to 7-4.
The Lady Statesmen again rolled out to an early lead in the second matchup, but this time never looked back.
Penn posted three runs in the first, including a two-run double by Khyia Lewis (Jr., Ottumwa, Ottumwa HS) and a run-scoring single by Athena Rosario (Jr., Bremerton, Wash., Olympic CC).
Two frames later, the game was blown wide open as seven players donning the navy and gold crossed home plate. Rosario and Andrea Rensberger (Sr., Sioux City, Sioux City North HS) each brought in two on singles, but Ashley Stream (Jr., Chariton, Chariton HS) recorded the biggest base knock of them all, clearing the bases with a three-run pinch-hit double.
Amber Daly (Jr., Napa, Calif., Solano CC) concluded the scoring in the fourth by drawing a bases-loaded walk to plate Rosario.
Rosario was 2-for-2 with three RBIs, while Rowley (also three RBIs) and Lewis were each 2-for-4. Lewis and Rensberger both managed two RBIs and Stream finished with three RBIs.
The foursome of Nieto, Rowley, Lewis, and Rosario all scored on two occasions.
Daly put up similar numbers to Whitehead, but was fortunate to have great offensive support in improving to 7-1. She allowed just one run (earned) on three hits, while striking out two and walking one. The junior tossed three perfect frames and retired the final seven batters she faced.
Next: Penn travels to Davenport next Tuesday to face St. Ambrose in its Midwest Collegiate Conference opener. The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m.
