Statesmen Come Up One Run Short Twice Against the Eagles

Fayette, Mo. – The Statesmen baseball team fell in two identical score contests in its non-conference series against conference-opponent Central Methodist Saturday.

WPU (9-6) could not overcome giving up seven homeruns as it fell 7-6 in both games.

CMU 7 - WPU 6

In the first matchup of its doubleheader, William Penn did all of its damage in the first and final inning in a game where each squad tallied 10 hits

The visitors scored four runs in the first, highlighted by Leland Riley II (Sr., Victorville, Calif., Kinesiology) hitting a two-RBI single that scored Keoni Young (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev., Exercise Science) and Logan Bialek (Jr., South Elgin, Ill., Exercise Science).

The Statesmen held a lead until the Eagles (7-8) tied the game at 4-4 in the third inning. Central Methodist worked out to a 7-4 lead entering the final frame.

Young was able to hit a two-RBI single as Sawyer Hardman (Jr., American Fork, Utah, Kinesiology) and McGwire Jephson (Jr., Rigby, Idaho, Business Management) made their way home.

William Penn was not able to push any more runs across as the comeback came up short.

Hardman and Young each tallied two hits in the loss. Hardman did so with only three at-bats while Young led the team with three RBIs. Riley II also had two RBIs.

 Erik Mejia Jr. (So., Las Vegas, Nev., Exercise Science) pitched all seven innings of the ballgame

CMU 7 - WPU 6

The navy and gold were outhit 10-6 and gave up four homers as it came up one run short in the second half of its twinbill against the Eagles.

Central Methodist got out to a 2-0 lead until Jephson hit an RBI double to get Jagger Mitchell (Sr., Rock Springs, Wyo., Business Management) home. Andres Pineda (Sr., Cartagena, Colombia, Business Management) grabbed the tying run when Shane Mailloux (So., Santee, Calif., Business Management) grounded out to first base.

Jephson followed Pineda home on an error. Hardman then scored on an RBI single by Aiden North (Jr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Industrial Technology).

Young finished off the third inning scoring when he sent an RBI single to left field and Logan Bialek (Jr., South Elgin, Ill., Exercise Science) touched the bag to put William Penn up 5-2.

The Eagles grabbed a run in the bottom of the third inning before both teams went stagnant until the sixth inning.

Young broke through when he made it home on an error to go up 6-3.

Central Methodist scored three runs over the next couple innings to tie the game at 6-6.

William Penn could not score in the extra inning and left the door open as the Eagles earned the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.

Young was the only Statesmen who had multiple hits, with two while Mailloux and North were each good for a walk.

Ethan Peters (Jr., Hortonville, Wis., Sports Management) started the contest and threw for 5 1/3 inning before Garrett Neiman (Jr., Arvada, Colo., Sports Management) came in for relief and earned the loss.

"We're obviously extremely disappointed in the outcome of both games." Head Coach Mike Laird said, "Our pitching was really roughed up as we gave up 7 bombs. We had poor pitch location against a strong athletic CMU lineup. Some of our upperclassmen had several chances at the plate to give us a big lead but fell short in many situations. Poor job with some situations on offense.  A definite learning experience for some of the new guys.
 
Next Up: William Penn travels to Kansas City, Missouri Monday to face Avila in a nonconference doubleheader at 12 p.m.