WPU Close Weekend with Split Against Benedictine

Oskaloosa--The Statesmen baseball team notched a victory over Benedictine as it wrapped up its Heart of America Athletic Conference series Sunday.

WPU (15-17, 8-12 Heart) won the opener 7-4, but dropped the nightcap 7-5 in eight innings.

The Ravens (12-25, 7-17 Heart) went up 2-0 in the initial contest with a run in each of the first two frames.

The Statesmen doubled BC's damage in the bottom of the second, however, by plating four runs.  In a game plagued by six total errors (three for each squad), Jagger Mitchell (Jr., Rock Springs, Wyo., Business Management) scored on a fielding mistake.  Froymer Ortega (Sr., Valencia, Venezuela, Wellness and Recreation) then pushed Bradley Soto (Jr., Davenport, Fla., Business Management) across, while  Zach Otten (Sr., Mapleton, Ill., Business Management) had a two-run single that plated Ortega and Ened Perez (So., Orocovis, P.R., Kinesiology).

The visitors tied the score once more in the top of the third to make it 4-4, but a three-run fifth inning propelled the navy and gold to victory.

Ened Perez's single brought in Keoni Young (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev., Exercise Science), while two other runs scored on a big Benedictine error.

WPU's 12-8 advantage in hits was guided by Otten, Ened Perez, and Ortega all tallying two base knocks.  Ortega also drew a walk in the victory.

Hunter Thornton (Jr., Bartonsville, Ill., Sports Management) worked through five innings, permitting four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

After the Statesmen recaptured the lead in the bottom of the fifth (allowing Thornton to get the win), Abel Madueno (Sr., San Bernardino, Calif., Business Management) entered out of the bullpen and shut down BC with two scoreless frames for the save.  He struck out three and allowed only one hit.

A four-run second inning helped erase an early 1-0 deficit in the nightcap.  Soto's home run brought in Mitchell, while Aiden North (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Industrial Technology) collected two RBIs on a one-bagger that scored Ortega and Madueno, who was serving as WPU's designated hitter.

The sides exchanged one run in the third with Juan Perez (Jr., Harlem, N.Y., Sports Management) singling in Soto for a 5-2 William Penn edge.

Unfortunately, the Ravens scored three unanswered to force extra innings.  BC then put two more on the board in the top of the eighth, but WPU could not find a response as it split the twinbill.

William Penn again tallied more hits than Benedictine at 9-8, but could not make up for three errors.  North and Soto each finished with two hits.  Soto, who managed two RBIs and two runs as well, drew a pair of walks in the second matchup.

The trio of Juan Perez, Ortega, and Madueno all recorded a hit and a walk as well.

Joseph Taylor (So., Hemet, Calif., Kinesiology) struck out seven in 7 1/3 innings, while only two of the runs he permitted were earned.  Dreyton LaVeine (Sr., West Burlington, Iowa, Sociology) also tallied two strikeouts in a relief appearance.

"We had good pitching in the first game with several offensive contributors," Head Coach Mike Laird said.  "Unfortunately, a controversial call in the second game cost us, as did several errors."

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