William Penn Walks Off Twice Against Culver-Stockton
Oskaloosa–The Statesmen softball team had a flare for the dramatics Thursday as it used a pair of walk-off hits to sweep Culver-Stockton in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Thursday.
WPU (13-11, 7-5 Heart) won by scores of 1-0 (11 innings) and 9-6. The 11-inning marathon is the longest game in program history since a 12-frame battle against Mount Mercy on April 22, 2009 (WPU won 4-3).
The Statesmen have now won a season-high four games in a row.
The sides combined for 10 hits in the opener with both posting five. Both squads had ample opportunities to score prior to the 11th as WPU put a runner in scoring position in seven different frames, while Culver-Stockton (9-17, 6-8 Heart) did so four times. Unfortunately, neither lineup could deliver in the pinch and the game remained 0-0.
After over two hours of scoreless ball, the bout ended quickly in the 11th when, with Lexi Riccardi (Sr., Redwood City, Calif., Biology) already on second due to the international tiebreaker rule, Rachael Haessly (Jr., Alpine, Calif., Biology) singled her to third. Charley Geguzis (Fr., Williamsburg, Iowa) then closed it out with a hard shot to the right side of the infield that forced the second baseman to the ground. The fielder rolled through and quickly fired home, but Riccardi easily beat the throw to the plate to record the winning run.
Peyton Parker (Jr., LaPorte City, Iowa, Sports Management) was masterful in eight shutout innings as the starter, striking out five, walking two, and permitting only four hits. Bianca Castillo (So., Rio Rico, Ariz.) continued Culver-Stockton’s drought with three more outstanding frames; she managed three strikeouts and allowed just one hit to collect the pitching win.
Haessly and Lexi Resa (Jr., Liberty, Mo., Biology) both finished with two base knocks in the opener.
Much of the nightcap continued on a similar script as the game was scoreless through five frames. Then without warning, an offensive powder keg exploded as C-SC scored six times in the top half, including a two-run home run that gave the visitors their first runs of the day.
Not to be outdone, the Statesmen answered right back with Resa pounding a two-run shot over the fence. Riccardi then tacked on a three-run bomb to pull the hosts within one entering the seventh. Both Resa and Riccardi now have two homers this spring.
The Wildcats were retired in order in the top of the seventh, leaving the door open for WPU to possibly once again deliver heroics.
The home team started the bottom half by taking advantage of back-to-back errors by C-SC to put runners on second and third. Following a walk to load the bases, Valeria Quiroga (Fr., San Benito, Texas, Sociology) came to the plate. While a hit to the grass may have wrapped things up, the freshman sent the home fans into a craze by smashing a grand slam over the center field fence to complete the sweep. The roundtripper is Quiroga’s team-best ninth of the year.
Resa finished 2-for-4, while she, Quiroga, Nayely Martinez (Fr., Carson, Calif.), and Shiloh Cunningham (Fr., Lynnville, Iowa, Biology), who had a pinch-hit double in the sixth, all scored twice. William Penn actually finished on the losing end of an 8-6 edge in hits.
Kelsey Lint (Fr., Brooklyn, Iowa, Elementary Education) was strong as the starting hurler, tallying five strikeouts (one walk) in five shutout innings (four hits). Ashton Brown (Fr., Ottumwa, Iowa) received the victory, striking out a pair (one walk) in two innings of relief. The freshman gave up one run on one hit.
“I am proud of our players,” Head Coach Mike Christner said. “They never quit and fought through a lot of adversity. These were a couple of great team wins with everyone contributing.”
Next Up: William Penn remains in Oskaloosa Saturday as it hosts #7 Central Methodist in a Heart doubleheader at 1 p.m.
