William Penn Closes Season with 12-Inning Thriller
Cedar Rapids–The Statesmen softball team could not keep the fairy-tale story alive another day as it was eliminated from the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship Friday.
WPU (20-30) fell into the consolation with a 7-0 loss to #4 seed Mount Mercy and was then knocked out of the event and had its season come to a close with a 10-9 loss to #6 seed Evangel in 12 innings.
The eighth-seeded Statesmen made it to the second day with a 4-1 win over the Heart’s regular season champion Grand View on Thursday, but ran out of magic against the Mustangs and Crusaders.
Riccardi Homers in Split Vs. Park
Oskaloosa–Lexi Riccardi (Sr., Redwood City, Calif., Biology) left the park to secure the first game for the William Penn softball team, but late-inning heroics were not available for the nightcap in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader split against Park Saturday.
WPU (16-19, 10-13 Heart) won the opener 2-1, but dropped the opener 3-2.
The hosts, who put runners in scoring position in each of the first two frames, unfortunately failed to score on either opportunity.
The Pirates (5-21, 5-17 Heart) also missed out on chances early on, but eventually got on the board first with one run in the top of the fifth.
WPU Swept by #7 Central Methodist
Oskaloosa–The Statesmen softball team came up shy a couple times against the league leaders Saturday as it faced #7 Central Methodist in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader.
WPU (13-13, 7-7 Heart) lost by scores of 10-0 (5 innings) and 6-2.
Unfortunately, the home squad posted very little offense in the opener as Lexi Riccardi (Sr., Redwood City, Calif., Biology) (double) and Rachael Haessly (Jr., Alpine, Calif., Biology) managed the only two base knocks for the navy and gold in the opener. The Eagles (28-3, 14-2 Heart), who finished with nine hits, scored seven runs in the first inning and cruised from there.
WPU Snags First Heart Sweep of Season
Oskaloosa–Pitching was excellent all afternoon and the offense provided timely hits as the Statesmen softball team swept Graceland in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Monday.
In a twinbill that was postponed twice due to weather, William Penn (11-11, 5-5 Heart) took down the Yellowjackets by scores of 3-0 and 4-2.
The hosts held an 8-2 edge in hits in the opener with Rebecca De Leon (Fr., Ceres, Calif.) assisting her pitching cause by going 3-for-3.
The freshman singled in the first inning and then produced a double in the fourth frame. Pinchrunner Shiloh Cunningham (Fr., Lynnville, Iowa, Biology) entered for De Leon in the fourth and advanced to third base on a single by Rachael Haessly (Jr., Alpine, Calif., Biology). Cunningham then tallied the day’s first score as Nayely Martinez (Fr., Carson, Calif.) put a grounder deep enough onto the left side of the infield to bring her home.
William Penn Wraps Up Spring Break with 1-3 Record Over Last Two Days
Kissimmee, Fla.–The Statesmen softball team picked up one more victory as it closed out its spring break week in the Sunshine State Wednesday and Thursday.
WPU (6-6) opened Wednesday with an 8-3 loss to Keiser (Fla.) before dropping a 5-4 decision to Florida National in nine innings. The Statesmen then fell once more to Keiser, 6-5 on Thursday, but closed out its week with a 6-4 defeat of St. Thomas (Fla.).
KU 8, WPU 3
William Penn gave up a run in the third and four more in the fourth before finally getting on the board in the bottom half as Lexi Resa (Jr., Liberty, Mo., Biology) lifted a shot over the left-field fence for her first home run in a Statesmen uniform.