Statesmen Fall Twice to Start Season
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
William Penn (IA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
|
Avila | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
William Penn (IA) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
|
Avila | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | X | 10 | 7 | 1 |
Kansas City, Mo.--The William Penn softball team had a rough start to the season as it was swept in a non-conference doubleheader by Avila Saturday.
The Statesmen (0-2) fell to Avila (2-1) by scores of 3-2 and 10-4.
No WPU batters struck out in the opener, but the navy and gold also struggled to find the open gaps in the field as the Statesmen were outhit 7-6.
After the Eagles scored once in the bottom of the second, Abby Wilson (Sr., Calgary, Alberta, Biology) tripled to right field to score Gabby Adame (So. Las Vegas, Nevada, Psychology and Human Resources) in the top of the third to tie the game at 1-1. Avila unfortunately recaptured the edge with one run in the third and another in the fifth.
Valeria Quiroga (Sr., Brownsville, Texas, Sociology) cut the deficit in half with a solo home run in the sixth to give WPU some hope, but the Statesmen failed to get the tying run across in the seventh.
Wilson led the team with two hits, while Chelsey Huff (So., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science) kept her team in it, striking out five against two walks in a complete-game effort.
The Statesmen started out hot in the nightcap as Quiroga hit a two-run homer in the first frame for her second roundtripper of the day. WPU's offense was quiet in the second, but Huff started a two-run third by doubling to right-center to score Quiroga. Caitlyn Foster (So., Livermore, Calif., Elementary Education) then made it 4-0 with a single that brought in Huff.
That unfortunately would be all of the excitement for William Penn as Avila scored 10 unanswered runs over the next four innings to run away with the matchup.
WPU owned an 8-7 edge in hits with Huff, Quiroga, and Wilson each tallying two. After not drawing a base on balls in the opener, Quiroga walked twice in the nightcap, helping her break the career record for walks with 88. The previous mark of 85 was held by Tyanna Helton.
Ashton Brown (Jr., Ottumwa, Iowa, Mechanical Engineering) struck out five with five bases on balls in three innings as the starting pitcher. Emily Bryant (Jr., University Place, Wash., Nursing) also tallied three strikeouts in two frames of relief.
The navy and gold committed three errors in the setback.
Next Up: WPU travels to Sioux Center next Friday, facing Northwestern at 12 p.m. and Dordt at 2 p.m.
