William Penn Athletics News–March 28
William Penn University Athletics
No Movement for Statesmen in Second Poll
Oskaloosa–The William Penn women’s golf team stayed in the same position as the NAIA’s second top-25 poll was released Friday.
William Penn remains #23 in the current rating with 123 points.
The top five is nearly unchanged with SCAD Savannah (Ga.) still on top with 405 points and 14 first-place votes. Oklahoma City, with the final first-place vote, is second, while Cumberlands (Ky.), British Columbia, and Northwood (Fla.) round out the top five.
Fellow Midwest Collegiate Conference foes Mount Mercy (#29) and Grand View (#33) are also receiving votes.
WPU is currently competing at the Graceland Invitational in Maryville, Mo. (Mozingo Golf Course) Friday and Saturday.
NAIA Women’s Golf Rating #2 – March 28, 2014
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. SCAD Savannah (Ga.) (14)
2. Oklahoma City (1)
3. Cumberlands (Ky.)
4. British Columbia
5. Northwood (Fla.)
6. William Woods (Mo.)
7. Coastal Georgia
8. Bellevue (Neb.)
9. Victoria (B.C.)
10. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
11. Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
12. South Carolina-Beaufort
13. Cal State-San Marcos
14. Bethel (Ind.)
15. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
16. Northwood (Texas)
17. Houston-Victoria (Texas)
18. Texas Wesleyan
19. Indiana Tech
20. Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
21. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
22. St. Andrews (N.C.)
23. William Penn
24. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
25. Madonna (Mich.)
Others receiving votes: Tennessee Wesleyan 72; Campbellsville (Ky.) 64; SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) 47; Mount Mercy 45; Thomas (Ga.) 33; Marian (Ind.) 16; Loyola (La.) 13; Grand View 7; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 4, Columbia (Mo.) 3, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 3, William Carey (Miss.) 3.
Eight-Run Sixth Inning Helps WPU Split Against Crimson Wave
Oskaloosa–Weeks down the road, the Statesmen softball team may look back on Friday night’s game as a focal point in its season as a late rally secured a doubleheader split against Calumet-St. Joseph (Ind.) in non-conference play.
William Penn (12-7) lost the opener 4-3 in eight innings, but responded with an 8-4 win in the nightcap.
Down 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth of the second contest, the Statesmen offense awoke for eight runs, highlighted by a grand slam from Brittanee Grove (Jr., Runnells, Iowa, Elementary Education)–her team-leading sixth home run of the season. Despite being outhit 8-7, WPU held on to pick up a win over the Crimson Wave (5-14).
William Penn held a 10-6 edge in hits in the first game, but trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the fifth frame. Sydney Edwards (Jr., Galesburg, Ill., Psychology & Biology) cut the difference in half as she went to the deepest part of the park for a solo home run–her first collegiate roundtripper.
CCSJ added a possible insurance run in the seventh, but WPU refused to go away. Ashlee Dennis (Jr., Loveland, Colo., Biology) started the rally with a double and then Malloree Grove (Sr., Runnells, Iowa, Physical Education) added a single. Jorden Steele (Jr., Tacoma, Wash., Physical Education) plated Dennis on a groundout and the game was sent to extra innings when Jessica Christensen (So., Marysville, Wash., Sociology) doubled home Grove.
The visitors went back ahead right away in the eighth with one score and WPU failed to answer in the bottom half. The bottom side of the lineup came up largest for the hosts as #9 hitter Dennis was 2-for-3 and #8 batter Edwards finished 2-for-4.
Jennifer Whitehead (Oskaloosa, Iowa, Biology) was saddled with her first setback of the year. The senior, who is now 8-1, struck out three against three walks. Only two of the runs she allowed were earned.
Lunden Young (Jr., Lewiston, Idaho, Physical Education) struck out ten batters in the latter matchup, but was set to take the loss until her offense roared back in the sixth inning.
The Statesmen had been limited to two base knocks through the first five frames, but Brittanee Grove and Christensen matched that total in the first two at-bats of the sixth with a double and single, respectively. Bri Zerley (Jr., Monroe, Iowa, Biology) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and pinch-hitter Diana Cassaro (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev., Business Management) got the navy and gold on the board by being hit by another toss to bring in Grove.
Veronica Castro (Sr., Riverside, Calif., Elementary Education) also delivered off the bench with a pinch-hit single to make it 4-2 and then Edwards doubled in two more runs to knot up the score.
Following a Dennis walk that again packed the pads, the Crimson Wave notched back-to-back outs to nearly get out of the jam, but fortunately Brittanee Grove broke the game wide open with her grand slam. The eight runs are the most in one inning for WPU this spring.
Young closed the door in the seventh to earn her third win of the campaign (3-3). None of the runs against her were earned as the defense committed three untimely errors. She walked just one batter in the victory.
Brittanee Grove posted a 2-for-4 showing with four RBIs and two runs scored, while Edwards was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run.
Next: William Penn stays in Oskaloosa Saturday to host Judson (Ill.) in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at noon.
Statesmen Win Eight Events in Grand View Dual
Oskaloosa–Competing in an untraditional format on a very cold day, the William Penn outdoor track and field season got underway Friday in a dual meet against league rival Grand View.
Cornelius McCastle (Fr., McKinney, Texas, Industrial Technology) had arguably the biggest day, placing in the top two in three events. He won the high jump at 6-0.75 and the triple jump at 43-6, and was also second in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:00.70.
After qualifying for nationals in the team’s first indoor meet, Alex Edwards (Jr., Knoxville, Iowa, Secondary Education) and Sam Taylor (Jr., Eddyville, Iowa, Industrial Technology) nearly accomplished that same feat Friday, coming up just shy of provisional standards on the frigid afternoon.
Edwards won the 400-meter dash in 48.60 seconds, while Taylor took gold in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.01 seconds. Taylor was also the best long jumper at 20-10.
Nick Thomas (Jr., Salmon, Idaho, Physical Education) crossed the line first in the 1,500-meter run (4:26.30), as did the 4×400-meter relay squad (3:28.50).
Silver placings went to Markenson Charles (Fr., Lehigh Acres, Fla., Mechanical Engineering) in the 110-meter hurdles (16.80 seconds), Joshua Rankin (Fr., University Park, Ill., Undecided) in the triple jump (41-11.5), and Derek Seddon (Fr., Knoxville, Iowa, Physical Education) in the shot put (41-3.25).
The Statesmen women unfortunately did not win any events that also included GVU athletes. Whitley Schertz (Jr., Eddyville, Iowa, Physical Education) was best in the pole vault at 7-6.5 , while Raveen Rhone (Jr., Los Angeles, Calif., Biology) was the only triple jumper (33-5.5).
Second-place efforts were also given by Emmanuela Meneide (Sr., Turks and Caicos, Biology) (200-meter dash, 26.50 seconds), Tarah Alexander (So., Cedar, Iowa, Undecided) (400-meter dash, 1:03.40), 4×100-meter relay (51.60 seconds), Alora Simmons (So., Newton, Iowa, Elementary Education) (high jump, 4-9), Alyssa Phillips (Fr., Gurnee, Ill., Communications) (long jump, 16-0.25), and Meaghan Foster (So., Centerville, Iowa, Undecided) (shot put, 39-3.75).
Several events were not contested due to a lack of participants.
Next: William Penn travels to Pella next Friday to compete in the Central Invitational.
