Statesmen Rally for Opening-Game Win in Split Versus Mount Mercy

Oskaloosa--The William Penn baseball team opened its four-game Heart of America Athletic Conference series with a doubleheader split against Mount Mercy Friday.

WPU (26-19, 14-16 Heart) took the opener 4-3 before dropping the nightcap 14-7.

Mount Mercy got on the board first, scoring two runs in the top of the fourth inning, while one frame later, the Mustangs tallied another run to take a 3-0 lead.  WPU finally responded in the bottom of the fifth frame as Trevor Dooley (Jr., Prole, Iowa, Computer Science) led off with a double and eventually scored on an RBI single by Blair Speas (So., O'Fallon, Mo., Undecided).

Still down 3-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, the hosts knotted the contest with a two-run home run from Joel Holguin (So., San Bernardino, Calif., Sociology).  A few batters later, Franklin Aparicio (Sr., Panama City, Panama, Business Management) delivered an RBI single to plate pinchrunner E.J. Roncone (Jr., Gurnee, Ill., Sports Management) with the go-ahead run.  Roncone was on the basepaths for Dooley.

Brian Thomas (Jr., Shingle Springs, Calif., Sports Management) struck out two batters in the top of the seventh to finish off his complete-game victory.  The junior allowed three runs on four hits, while striking out 11 batters and walking two.

William Penn doubled up Mount Mercy in hits (8-4) with Dooley topping the squad with a perfect 2-for-2 performance.

The Statesmen got on the board first in the nightcap as Nick George (Jr., Sarina, Ontario, Sociology) doubled and then came around on another two-bagger from Abraham Arroyo (So., Camuy, P.R., Wellness and Recreation).

MMU answered in the top of the second inning with a three-run homer.  The Mustangs then added to their lead in the fourth and fifth innings, tallying a combined seven runs to take an 10-0 advantage.

WPU pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff single from Dillan Schrock (Sr., Shingle Springs, Calif., Sociology); he was pinch-run for by Roncone.  Tim Jean (Sr., Libertyville, Ill., Public Accounting) then drew a walk before George hit a double to drive in both Roncone and Jean.

The away team added four runs in the top of the seventh to its total for a 14-3 lead.  The Statesmen had a big bottom half, but it was too little and too late.  A hit-by-pitch and two walks loaded the bases and a wild pitch allowed Craig Johnson (Sr., Crystal, Minn., Physical Education) to score.

Jean then singled to score Aparicio and Justin Martinez (Jr., Bronx, N.Y., Sports Management) around to score; Jean tallied the final run on a groundout.

The Statesmen lost the hits battle 15-8 with George going 3-for-3, while Jean tallied two base knocks and two RBIs.

"Brian Thomas had a great outing in the first game, while we also had a huge home run from Joel Holguin," Head Coach Mike Laird said.  "Mount Mercy's hitters were way too much for our pitchers in the second game."

Next Up: William Penn remains in Oskaloosa Saturday to host Mount Mercy in another Heart doubleheader at 1 p.m.