WPU News
Mon, Mar 9, 2009 - [Softball]
Kara Atkins hit a game-winning home run against Faulkner Saturday
Panama City, Fla.--The Penn softball team finally found its legs down south and not a minute too soon as Penn finished 4-2 against some of the best competition in the nation at the NFCA/NAIA Leadoff Classic Thursday through Saturday.
Penn (6-8) opened the Classic by falling to #12 Bethel (Ind.) 3-0 Thursday, but rebounded with a 6-5 win over #20 Biola (Calif.) later that day.
The Lady Statesmen kept rolling with wins on Friday over #6 Mobile (Ala.) 3-2 (8 innings) and Walsh (Ohio) 5-0. Penn wrapped up its four-game winning streak by defeating Faulkner (Ala.) 5-4 Saturday. The week concluded with a 1-0 loss to Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.) Saturday.
At 4-2 and with its tiebreaker over Mobile, Penn was the fifth-best team at the 16-team Classic.
Bethel (Ind.)--Lost 3-0
Despite outhitting Bethel 5-4, the Lady Statesmen lost for the third time in a row against the Pilots. Ashley Johnson (Sr., Burlington, Southeastern CC) pitched well, but could not keep the opposition from putting up one run in the fourth and two more in the sixth. The senior allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. She struck out two against four walks.
Biola--Won 6-5
Penn rallied with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and held on for victory against the #20 team in the NAIA.
Tyanna Helton (Jr., Santa Rosa, Calif., Palomar CC) was 2-4 with three RBIs, while Hailey Dreyer (Jr., Twin Lakes, Wis., Dubuque) and Leah Mork (Jr., DeWitt, North Iowa Area CC) both scored two runs each.
Hannah Lugar (Fr., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) started the contest and went 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs (two earned) on six hits. She struck out two against one walk.
Allysa Fligg (Sr., Agency, Nebraska-Omaha) relieved the freshman in the sixth and shut out Biola over 1 2/3 frames. The senior struck out two to pick up the win.
Mobile--Won 3-2
Penn had to go to extra frames to accomplish the feat, but managed its biggest win of the week when Mork scored on a fielder's choice by Ashley Stream (Fr., Chariton, Chariton HS) in the eighth inning to knock off Mobile.
Helton and Cassie Holt (Fr., Muskego, Wis., Muskego HS) were each 2-3 in the win.
Fligg was spectacular in limiting the Mobile offense to only two runs (one earned) on four hits in eight innings. She struck out six with only one walk.
Walsh--Won 5-0
Helton hit a three-run home run (her second of the year) in the third frame to help Penn get past Walsh Friday. Stream and Ashley Gustin (Jr., East Wenatchee, Wash., Wenatchee Valley CC) topped their squad with two base knocks apiece, while Stream also scored a team-best two runs in the win.
Johnson (3-2) nearly picked up her second no-hitter of the week as she gave up just one hit over seven innings. The senior struck out eight with five walks.
Faulkner--Won 5-4
Kara Atkins (Fr., Burlington, Burlington HS) hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh against Faulkner to keep the Penn magic strong.
Down 5-4 in the final half frame, the Lady Statesmen rally began with a Stream double. Helton then walked and Atkins brought them all home with her second roundtripper of the season.
Atkins finished 2-4, while Dreyer was 2-2 in the victory. Penn outhit Faulkner 8-5.
Fligg (3-3) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in a complete-game seven innings. The senior struck out eight with only two walks.
Auburn-Montgomery--Lost 1-0
Prior to this year, Penn has more national tournament appearances (2) than its opponent had years playing softball (0), but that did not stop first-year Auburn-Montgomery from claiming a 1-0 win over the Lady Statesmen in the finale of Penn's spring break trip.
Lugar (0-3) pitched a masterful game in only her seventh collegiate appearance. The freshman limited her foes to just one run (unearned) on four hits over 6 1/3 frames. She struck out two against one walk.
Next: Penn travels to Springfield, Mo. this weekend to compete in the Evangel Tournament. On Friday, the Lady Statesmen will face Benedictine (Kan.) at 10 a.m., Culver-Stockton (Mo.) at 11:45 a.m., and William Jewell (Mo.) at 3 p.m.
Penn (6-8) opened the Classic by falling to #12 Bethel (Ind.) 3-0 Thursday, but rebounded with a 6-5 win over #20 Biola (Calif.) later that day.
The Lady Statesmen kept rolling with wins on Friday over #6 Mobile (Ala.) 3-2 (8 innings) and Walsh (Ohio) 5-0. Penn wrapped up its four-game winning streak by defeating Faulkner (Ala.) 5-4 Saturday. The week concluded with a 1-0 loss to Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.) Saturday.
At 4-2 and with its tiebreaker over Mobile, Penn was the fifth-best team at the 16-team Classic.
Bethel (Ind.)--Lost 3-0
Despite outhitting Bethel 5-4, the Lady Statesmen lost for the third time in a row against the Pilots. Ashley Johnson (Sr., Burlington, Southeastern CC) pitched well, but could not keep the opposition from putting up one run in the fourth and two more in the sixth. The senior allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. She struck out two against four walks.
Biola--Won 6-5
Penn rallied with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and held on for victory against the #20 team in the NAIA.
Tyanna Helton (Jr., Santa Rosa, Calif., Palomar CC) was 2-4 with three RBIs, while Hailey Dreyer (Jr., Twin Lakes, Wis., Dubuque) and Leah Mork (Jr., DeWitt, North Iowa Area CC) both scored two runs each.
Hannah Lugar (Fr., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) started the contest and went 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs (two earned) on six hits. She struck out two against one walk.
Allysa Fligg (Sr., Agency, Nebraska-Omaha) relieved the freshman in the sixth and shut out Biola over 1 2/3 frames. The senior struck out two to pick up the win.
Mobile--Won 3-2
Penn had to go to extra frames to accomplish the feat, but managed its biggest win of the week when Mork scored on a fielder's choice by Ashley Stream (Fr., Chariton, Chariton HS) in the eighth inning to knock off Mobile.
Helton and Cassie Holt (Fr., Muskego, Wis., Muskego HS) were each 2-3 in the win.
Fligg was spectacular in limiting the Mobile offense to only two runs (one earned) on four hits in eight innings. She struck out six with only one walk.
Walsh--Won 5-0
Helton hit a three-run home run (her second of the year) in the third frame to help Penn get past Walsh Friday. Stream and Ashley Gustin (Jr., East Wenatchee, Wash., Wenatchee Valley CC) topped their squad with two base knocks apiece, while Stream also scored a team-best two runs in the win.
Johnson (3-2) nearly picked up her second no-hitter of the week as she gave up just one hit over seven innings. The senior struck out eight with five walks.
Faulkner--Won 5-4
Kara Atkins (Fr., Burlington, Burlington HS) hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh against Faulkner to keep the Penn magic strong.
Down 5-4 in the final half frame, the Lady Statesmen rally began with a Stream double. Helton then walked and Atkins brought them all home with her second roundtripper of the season.
Atkins finished 2-4, while Dreyer was 2-2 in the victory. Penn outhit Faulkner 8-5.
Fligg (3-3) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in a complete-game seven innings. The senior struck out eight with only two walks.
Auburn-Montgomery--Lost 1-0
Prior to this year, Penn has more national tournament appearances (2) than its opponent had years playing softball (0), but that did not stop first-year Auburn-Montgomery from claiming a 1-0 win over the Lady Statesmen in the finale of Penn's spring break trip.
Lugar (0-3) pitched a masterful game in only her seventh collegiate appearance. The freshman limited her foes to just one run (unearned) on four hits over 6 1/3 frames. She struck out two against one walk.
Next: Penn travels to Springfield, Mo. this weekend to compete in the Evangel Tournament. On Friday, the Lady Statesmen will face Benedictine (Kan.) at 10 a.m., Culver-Stockton (Mo.) at 11:45 a.m., and William Jewell (Mo.) at 3 p.m.
WPU Sports
Statesmen Links
