WPU Swept by Benedictine
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Atchison, Kan.–The Statesmen softball team ran a little short on the offensive end as it was swept by Benedictine in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday.
William Penn (11-15, 5-5 Heart) lost by scores of 10-0 (5 innings) and 8-4.
The visitors struggled in all facets in the first two innings of the opener, giving up four runs in the first and six more in the second. The navy and gold committed two errors in each frames.
The Statesmen fought back in the third with a pair of base knocks, but failed to bring across any runs in their best chance to score.
WPU was outhit 11-3, while Karlee-Rose Perry (Jr., Puyallup, Wash., General Biology) had the squad’s best pitching performance with three strikeouts in one inning of work.
The visitors loaded the bases to start off the nightcap, but again came up empty. The Ravens (19-8, 9-6 Heart) unfortunately were unsuccessful in their bottom half with two tallies.
The navy and gold finally got on the board in the second when Hayley Freestone (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev., Business Management) led off with a single and then came all the way around.
Three innings later, William Penn took the edge with three runs. Back-to-back doubles by Sonia Reddy (So., Tracy, Calif., Exercise Science) and Savannah Fleming (Jr., Gooding, Idaho, Exercise Science) led to the first run and then Dalaney Bice (So., Woodward, Iowa, Human Services & Psychology) came up with another two-bagger for the second run.
Two batters down the road, Tess Cheetham (Jr., Oceanside, Calif., Human Services and Sociology) singled to bring in Bice to make it 4-2.
BC had the final say, however, rallying with six runs in the fifth to finish off the sweep.
Both teams finished with 11 hits with Cheetham guiding the Statesmen with a 3-for-4 effort. Reddy and Bice were both 2-for-4, while Nicole Flatley (Jr., Santa Maria, Calif., Psychology) was 2-for-3. Chyanne Koko (Sr., Waianae, Hawaii, Physical Education) drew a trio of walks in the setback.
Next Up: William Penn remains in Kansas Sunday, traveling to Baldwin City to face Baker in a Heart doubleheader at 1 p.m.
