William Penn Swept by MNU in Heart Openers
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Olathe, Kan.–The Statesmen softball team opened Heart of America Athletic Conference play on a sour note, falling twice to MidAmerica Nazarene Friday.
WPU (9-11, 0-2 Heart) lost by scores of 8-4 and 3-0.
The visitors unfortunately failed to come up with a hit in the day’s first competition. Only two batters reached base–one on a third-strike wild pitch and another via an error.
Katie Springer (Sr., Riverside, Iowa, Psychology and Human Services) was strong in the circle herself, permitting just three runs (all earned) on five hits in a complete game. The senior struck out one and walked one.
The Pioneers began the contest with two runs in the first and another in the fifth.
With a new opposing pitcher on the rubber, the Statesmen offense was much more productive in the nightcap, tallying a 14-10 edge in base knocks.
Sonia Reddy (Jr., Tracy, Calif., Exercise Science) and Savannah Fleming (Sr., Gooding, Idaho, Exercise Science) led off the game with back-to-back triples. Fleming, who drove in Reddy, also came around on a single by Emily Brown (Sr., Waverly, Iowa, Biology) to make it 2-0 right away.
MidAmerica Nazarene captured the edge at 4-2 with four runs in the second, but WPU knotted the contest in the top of the third with a pair of scores. Lexi Riccardi (Jr., Redwood City, Calif., Biology) doubled and then came around on single off the bat of Lindsay Lambert (Sr., Elk Grove, Calif., Elementary Education). Lambert also touched home later in the frame on Abby Young’s (Jr., Dunlap, Ill., Exercise Science) RBI single.
Unfortunately, the hosts took the advantage back in the bottom half at 6-4 and then scored once more in the fourth and sixth to seal the victory.
William Penn, which committed four fielding errors (one for MNU) loaded the bases in the seventh, but was unable to complete a comeback.
Young headed the lineup at 3-for-4, while Fleming, Brown, Riccardi, and Whitney Stone (Fr., Roseburg, Ore., Education) all posted two-hit performances. Eight of the squad’s starters managed a base knock in the setback.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Springfield, Mo. Saturday to face Evangel in a Heart doubleheader beginning at noon.
