William Penn Still in Position for League Tourney with Split
William Penn University Athletics
Cedar Rapids–The William Penn baseball team entered Saturday in sixth place in the league and left it in the same position after splitting a Midwest Collegiate Conference doubleheader with Mount Mercy.
The Statesmen (16-23, 9-10 MCC) won the opener 3-2, but then dropped the nightcap 2-1. The top six teams in the MCC qualify for the league tournament and Ashford and Viterbo are tied for seventh place at 7-13.
Both teams managed five hits in the first game, but William Penn was the first squad to get on the board when Brad Chin (Sr., San Rafael, Calif., San Rafael HS) scored on a Mustang error in the second.
The visitors added two more runs in the seventh to go up 3-0 with both courtesy of Mount Mercy’s other error. Evelio Ahumada (Sr., Hacienda Heights, Calif., Citrus CC) laid down a bunt that was fielded by the pitcher. The hurler threw the ball away on the play, allowing both Chin and Tony Alvarez (Jr., Spring Valley, Calif., Southwestern CC) to come around. Alvarez was perfect at the dish (3-for-3) to lead the navy and gold.
David Ness (Sr., Purcellville, Va., Frederick CC) cruised through the first 6 1/3 innings, but then ran into problems. Five batters later, Mount Mercy (23-22, 12-7 MCC) had closed the gap to 3-2 and had runners on first and third base. That caused Ness to be replaced by Jorge Quezada (Jr., San Ysidro, Calif., Castle Park HS). Fortunately, the junior was successful in forcing the next batter to fly out to pick up his second save of the year.
Ness struck out one (three walks) in 6 2/3 frames to move to 5-4.
The Mustangs continued their momentum by tallying one run in both the first and second innings. Despite outhitting the home team 5-4, William Penn failed to get on the scoreboard until the seventh and final frame.
Alvarez started the rally with a one-out single and scored in the next at-bat on a triple by pinch hitter Michael Crandell (Jr., Napa, Calif., Napa HS). Unfortunately, Crandell was stranded at third to close out the contest.
The lack of offense wasted a great outing by Danny Erece (Jr., Chula Vista, Calif., Southwestern CC). The junior (3-5) struck out four (four walks) in his second complete game of 2012.
Next: William Penn and Mount Mercy meet again Sunday for a nine-inning game at 1 p.m.
