WPU Completes Sweep of Randall on Opening Weekend
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Moore, Okla.–The Statesmen returned to action Saturday concluding their four-game series with Randall. WPU took the first two games of the series on Friday, outscoring its’ opponent 33-8 over the two games.
William Penn (4-0) was hungry for more as they completed the sweep of Randall (2-12) in spectacular fashion, pounding the Saints by the scores of 15-1 and 21-8.
WPU 15, Randall 1
Tanner Bedier (Fr., Bondurant, Iowa, Business Management) got the start on the mound for William Penn, fresh off a day that saw him blast two home runs with the bat. The freshman earned the win going five innings, surrendering only one earned run, and striking out five while not allowing a walk. Trent Barnett (Sr., Eddyville, Iowa, Accounting) made his 2019 debut, throwing a scoreless sixth inning and striking out one. Cory Vollmer (Fr., Kaufman, Texas, Secondary Education) made his first appearance as a member of the Statesmen, throwing a scoreless seventh to shut the door.
The navy and gold outhit their opponent 12-6 but did not get on the board until the fifth inning when Anthony Huggins (So., Davenport, Fla., Biology) scored on a fielder’s choice. Blaze Speas (Sr., O’Fallon, Mo., Wellness and Recreation) later tripled in the inning, plating a pair, to give William Penn the 3-1 lead.
The visitors were able to tack on a couple more runs but broke it wide open in the seventh inning scoring 10 runs. Dominic Bravo (Jr., Downey, Calif., Digital Communication) had three RBI in the inning coming via a two RBI single and drawing a bases loaded walk.
Three hitters had multi-hit performances highlighted by Huggins who was a perfect 4-4 (3R, 3RBI, 2 2B, BB) at the dish. Speas finished 3-4 (3R. 3RBI, 3B, 2B, BB) and Bravo went 2-2 (4RBI, R, BB).
WPU 21, Randall 8
The bats put an exclamation point on the weekend scoring a series high 21 runs and collecting 18 hits in the drubbing.
William Penn put away any doubt right away, plating 13 runs before the Saints even had an opportunity to come to bat in the bottom half of the first.
Speas continued his impressive day at the plate, launching a two-run home run to put the Statesmen up 15-0 after two innings.
Six players had at least two hits in the contest, led by the duo of Jarrett Hunt (Jr., Logan, Utah, Digital Communication) and Bravo who reached by way of a hit three times with Bravo coming around to score four times. Zach Edgar (Jr., Elgin, Ill., Business Management) finished 2-4 and a team high four RBI. Huggins, Speas, and Bedier rounded out those with multi-hit performances.
Augie Voight (Sr., Waukegan, Ill., Secondary Education) got his first start of the season in the final game of the series. The Senior earned the win by going five strong innings, allowing one earned run while striking out eight Saints.
Next Up: The Statesmen will be back in action next Friday opening up a four game set with Bacone in Muskogee, Oklahoma with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
