WPU Bounces Back with Pair of Victories
Oskaloosa–The Statesmen baseball team rebounded nicely Saturday as it swept Park in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader.
William Penn (10-10, 3-5 Heart) claimed a split of the four-game weekend series as it defeated the Pirates by scores of 6-3 and 16-5.
Through the first four and a half innings of the opener, it appeared the navy and gold were doomed to suffer another setback as PU (11-8, 7-5 Heart) pulled out to a 3-0 edge with one run in the first and two more in the fifth.
However, with three of its first four batters reaching on singles, William Penn loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth. Ened Perez (So., Orocovis, P.R., Kinesiology) then recorded his squad’s first run on a fielder’s choice by Aiden North (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Industrial Technology), but Bradley Soto (Jr., Davenport, Fla., Business Management) provided the big offense in the next at-bat.
With two of his teammates still on the pads, the junior lifted a pitch that sailed over the right field fence for a three-run home run and a 4-3 WPU edge.
The hosts added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as well, beginning with a double from Carlos Herrera (Jr., Bronx, N.Y., Kinesiology) that scored Jagger Mitchell (Jr., Rock Springs, Wyo., Business Management). Herrera then rounded the bases as well on a single from North.
Dreyton LaVeine (Sr., West Burlington, Iowa, Sociology) secured the win with a quality start, permitting just two earned runs on seven scattered hits in a complete-game effort. He struck out four Pirates and walked just one.
The trio of North, Mitchell, and Herrera all finished with two hits. Ened Perez also posted one base knock with one walk.
A day after being on the losing end of a lopsided affair, the Statesmen turned the tables on Park, outhitting the visitors 13-7 and also taking advantage of six Pirate errors.
WPU scored in all six of its offensive innings, headlined by five tallies in the third and six more in the fourth.
With his crew already up 2-0 entering the third, Soto opened the big frame with a solo homer. Hector Dominguez (Jr., Fontana, Calif., Exercise Science), Keoni Young (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev., Exercise Science), and North (two RBIs) also drove in runs on third-inning singles.
Ened Perez’s two-run one-bagger was the highlight of the fourth inning. He then managed an RBI double in the fifth, while Dominguez produced an RBI single in the sixth.
Ened Perez ended the nightcap at 4-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Soto was 3-for-5 (two runs) at the dish, while Dominguez (also walked once) and North both notched two hits. Abraham Arroyo (Grad., Camuy, P.R., Master’s of Sports Management), with one hit and two walks, and Young, with one hit and one walk, also contributed for the Statesmen. Zach Otten (Sr., Mapleton, Ill., Business Management) touched home plate three times as well.
Hunter Thornton (Jr., Bartonsville, Ill., Sports Management) kept the Pirates mostly at bay, allowing only three earned runs on six hits in a 5 2/3-inning performance. He struck out seven (two walks). Ryne Chamberlin (Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Sports Management) also tossed 1 1/3 frames out of the bullpen and struck out three against one hit and one walk.
“What a big difference from the day before,” Head Coach Mike Laird said. “Today, both starting pitchers threw very well and several hitters had a great day. Our defense was also strong.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Marshall, Mo. next Saturday to face Missouri Valley in a Heart doubleheader at 1 p.m.
