Offense Explodes, Huff Deals Gem as WPU Wins Twice to Open Weekend

Sioux Center--The William Penn softball team locked down two more victories as it started its second Dordt Dome Tournament of the season Friday.

The Statesmen (10-2), which is off to its best start since 2010 (11-1 through 12 games), defeated College of Saint Mary (Neb.) 13-5 in five innings, and then shut out Hastings (Neb.) 4-0.

Headlined by a nine-run frame, the navy and gold scored a season high in runs against the Flames.  CSM (1-4) struck first with a run in the second and then put WPU in a deep 5-0 hole with four more tallies in the fourth.

The Statesmen were limited to just one hit (two total baserunners) through the first three innings, but got it going right away in the fourth as each of its first five batters reached base.  With her team having already scored three runs with just one out recorded, Laila Smith (So., Olympia, Wash., Elementary Education) produced a two-run double to give William Penn the lead.

Laila Pelds (Sr., Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Elementary Education) followed with her own two-RBI two-bagger in the next at-bat, while Ella Pierce (Sr., McClelland, Iowa, Business Management) matched her teammates by bringing in two on a double.

Chelsey Huff (Sr., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science) relieved Madie Anderson (Sr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Elementary Education) in the fifth and squashed any potential College of Saint Mary rally; she struck out one in one inning in the circle.  The senior then helped the offense plate four runs (tallied an RBI single) to end the contest via the mercy rule.

Rylee Riesberg (So., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science) put the game to rest with a two-run single.  The squad's 13 runs are the most in a single game since also tallying 13 against Hannibal-LaGrange on March 16, 2023.

WPU finished with a 12-9 edge in hits with seven individuals recording a base knock.

Pelds, Huff, Ella Pierce, Riesberg, and Marin Frazee (So., Sioux City, Iowa, Exercise Science) all managed two hits, while Pelds and Riesberg had three RBIs (two for Laila Smith and Ella Pierce).  Tori Smith (So., Olympia, Wash., Secondary Education) touched home plate on three occasions, and Huff and Peyton Naranjo (So., Ripon, Calif., Biology) both did so twice.

Anderson's rough fourth inning dampened three other solid frames.  The senior struck out five batters in her four frames of work.

Huff's efforts were even more impactful in the day's second outing as she nearly no-hit the Broncos (1-3).

The senior overpowered Hastings with a career-high 15 strikeouts, tying for the third-most in school history (most since Steph Christner in 2005).  She struck out the side in the first and fifth frames.

Although her perfect game was thwarted immediately with a first-inning walk (gave up three walks total), Huff mowed down the lineup, taking a no-hit bid into the sixth before unfortunately losing it on a bunt single.  She also permitted a single in the seventh as the Statesmen posted a 7-2 advantage in hits.

The navy and gold broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the top of the third, headlined by a two-run single by Pelds.  Tori Smith contributed a run-scoring single as well.

Naranjo, who scored on Tori Smith's hit, pushed across the final tally in the seventh as her sacrifice fly was deep enough to bring home Jessica Lathrop (Fr., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science).  Lathrop scored a team-high two runs and also matched Bailee Rinn (Jr., Omaha, Neb., Biology) with a pair of hits.

"We collected two more solid wins today," Head Coach Laura North said.  "Chelsey Huff was back in full force, while our offense finally exploded.  This team is having a lot of fun and it is transitioning to success on the field.  They are playing relaxed and playing within themselves."

Next Up: William Penn remains in Sioux Center Saturday to face Saint Mary (Kan.) at 10 a.m. and Mount Marty (S.D.) at 12 p.m.