William Penn Takes Two Low-Scoring Games Vs. Clarke
William Penn Women's Athletics
Oskaloosa–Two tremendous pitching performances by Jennifer Whitehead (Fr., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS) and Amber Daly (Jr., Napa, Calif., Solano CC) guided the Lady Statesmen softball team to a sweep of Clarke in Midwest Collegiate Conference play Wednesday.
William Penn (31-12, 12-6 MCC) won by scores of 1-0 and 2-1 (9 innings) to extend its winning streak to four games.
Courtesy of their wins and a loss by league-leading Grand View (14-6), the Lady Statesmen have pulled to within one game of the Vikings for first place.
The home team put the lone run of the first game on the board in the third inning. Andrea Rensberger (Sr., Sioux City, Sioux City North HS), who led William Penn with a 2-for-2 showing, led off with a single and was moved to third on a sacrifice by Ashley Nieto (Jr., Cement City, Mich., Jackson CC) and an error by Clarke (12-22, 6-14 MCC).
Cassie Lohman (So., Burbank, Calif., Providence HS) then came to the plate, and although she flew out to the left fielder, that hit was deep enough to allow Rensberger to tag up and score.
The Crusaders put runners into scoring position in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, but Whitehead fought through each frame for the win. The freshman allowed five hits and struck out one in her seventh shutout of the season.
Despite the win, William Penn lost the hits battle 5-3.
The Lady Statesmen had no answer for Clarke’s pitching for much of the nightcap, being held to only one base knock through six innings.
The Crusaders scored in the fourth and held that advantage until the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and no one on base, Christine Gamble (Jr., Pahrump, Nev., Pahrump Valley HS) started an improbable rally with a walk. She was then pinch-run for by Rikki Picariello (Jr., Port Coquitlam, B.C., Olympic CC).
Brittany Labbe (So., Northridge, Calif., Chaminade HS) and Athena Rosario (Jr., Bremerton, Wash., Olympic CC) both came off the bench cold, but followed with consecutive pinch-hit singles to plate Picariello and the game went to extra innings.
Both teams squandered chances in the eighth, while Clarke did it again in the ninth. The Crusaders loaded the bases against Whitehead, who was in relief for Daly, but failed to bring in a run.
William Penn fortunately succeeded in its ninth-inning opportunity. Gamble led off with another walk and was sacrificed to second by Brittni Reyes (Jr., Vacaville, Calif., Solano CC).
Amanda Christenson (So., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS) then doubled into the right-center gap, but a communication error by Head Coach Mike Christner only allowed Gamble to reach third base.
The junior still managed to be a part of the winning play, however, as Ashley Kingery (So., Knoxville, Knoxville HS) singled into left field to plate Gamble with the winning run.
Six different Lady Statesmen tallied a hit, while as a team, William Penn was outhit 9-6.
Daly was solid through eight innings, giving up the lone run (earned) on six hits. She struck out five and walked two, but did not figure into the decision. Whitehead (17-6) claimed the win in relief (1 IP, 3 H).
Next: William Penn travels to Mount Pleasant Thursday to face Iowa Wesleyan in an MCC doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m.
