Spring Break Trip Ends with Two More WPU Wins

Tucson, Ariz.--The Statesmen softball team wrapped up its spring break week with two wins Friday.

William Penn (16-8), which extended its winning streak to six games, defeated Salve Regina (R.I.) 11-1 in five innings and then dropped Nelson (Ariz.) 11-7.

WPU 11, Salve Regina 1

The navy and gold, who outhit their foes 10-2, scored on their first trip to the plate as Tori Smith (So., Olympia, Wash., Secondary Education) doubled home both Peyton Naranjo (So., Ripon, Calif., Biology) and Laila Pelds (Jr., Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Elementary Education).

Naranjo then doubled the edge to 4-0 in the fourth with a two-RBI hit (single) of her own that brought around Rylee Riesberg (So., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science) and Bailee Rinn (Jr., Omaha, Neb., Biology).

Salve Regina finally got on the board in the fifth, but the Statesmen put the game to rest with a seven-run bottom of the fifth.

Three runs were plated before WPU loaded the bases for Laila Smith (So., Olympia, Wash., Elementary Education).  The sophomore then unloaded them, and in the process also won the game, with a walk-off grand slam.

It was a true team win as nine Statesmen tallied a base knock.  Naranjo was the only player with two hits; she also finished with two RBIs and two runs scored.  Rinn scored twice as well.

Tori Smith cruised to the complete-game victory, striking out four against one walk in her five innings of work.

WPU 11, Nelson 7

Despite committing four fielding errors, William Penn was able to close out the week with another triumph.  The Statesmen scored in four separate innings, including six in the fourth to get past Nelson.

The Warriors did the initial damage with one run in the first and stayed in the lead until the third.  Laila Smith then once again sent a delivery over the fence, this time for a solo shot, while Jessica Lathrop (Fr., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science) stole home.

Nelson knotted up the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third, but separation was made in the top of the fourth as WPU put six tallies on the scoreboard.

Laila Smith started the action with a single to score Marin Frazee (So., Sioux City, Iowa, Exercise Science), while Riesberg drove in two on a single.  Emily Winkler (Jr., North Platte, Neb., Exercise Science) added two runs as well with a double to make it 8-2 in favor of the Statesmen.

An additional two runs were produced in the fifth, while the week's final run came in the week's final inning.

The Statesmen used a 9-8 advantage in hits to come out on top.  Laila Smith was the squad's catalyst at 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored.  Riesberg and Winkler ended the matchup with two RBIs, while Lathrop and Frazee each rounded the pads on two occasions.  Riesberg also drew two walks; overall, WPU earned eight bases on balls.

Emily Bryant (Sr., University Place, Wash., Nursing) gave up only two earned runs on seven hits in five innings inside of the circle.  She managed five strikeouts without a walk in the win.

Madie Anderson (Sr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Elementary Education) did not permit an earned run in two innings out of the bullpen.  The senior added three strikeouts in her outing.

"All in all, it was a great weekend in Arizona," Head Coach Laura North said.  "We started off not playing well, but then turned it around and got better every day.  We learned a lot this week and playing 10 games in a short amount of time allowed us to get in a groove.  Our pitching was solid all week, and the offense really came alive too.  Defensively, we had to work out some things, but I feel like we made good strides."

Next Up: William Penn travels to Marshall, Mo. next Saturday to face Missouri Valley in its Heart of America Athletic Conference-opening doubleheader at 1 p.m.