Penn (30-9, 8-4 MCC), winners of nine in a row and 16 of its last 18, outhit the Saints 24-7 and scored a dozen runs in one inning for the first time since 2007.

Tyanna Helton (Sr., Santa Rosa, Calif., Palomar CC) got her team on the board early with her seventh home run of the season, a solo shot in the first inning.

Penn tacked on four more in the second as four Lady Statesmen drew walks, including bases-loaded walks to Andrea Rensberger (Jr., Sioux City, Sioux City North HS) and Ashley Stream (So., Chariton, Chariton HS). Molly Miller (Fr., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) tallied an RBI single in that frame as well.

Kara Atkins (So., Burlington, Burlington HS) had an RBI double in the fifth, while Hailey Dreyer (Sr., Twin Lakes, Wis., Dubuque) did her one better with a triple to score the sophomore in the next at-bat.

Ashford (7-19, 2-10 MCC) broke up the shutout with a run in the top of the sixth, but the game was won in the bottom half with an RBI single by Helton and a sacrifice fly by Krystina Lorah (Jr., Moreno Valley, Calif., Moreno Valley HS) to plate Miller.

Helton paced the effort with a 3-for-3 showing, including three RBIs and two runs scored. Dreyer was also perfect in three plate appearances, while Atkins was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Monica Villarreal (Fr., Oceanside, Calif, Carlsbad HS) upped her record to 14-4, allowing one run (earned) on five hits, while striking out four.

Penn failed to score in the first inning of the nightcap, but made up for that and more with a 12-run second frame. The 12 runs are the most for the program in a single inning since the team scored 13 against Calumet-St. Joseph (Ind.) on April 14, 2007.

Penn notched its dozen runs on ten hits (nine singles, one double) and four Saint errors. Atkins provided the biggest hit, a two-run double that brought home Helton and Lorah.

Dreyer added to the advantage in the third with an RBI single to score Lorah. Ashford recorded its lone run of the contest in the fifth, but it was not enough to prevent the mercy-run rule victory.

Miller, Lorah, Atkins, Dreyer, Rensberger, and Khyia Lewis (So., Ottumwa, Ottumwa HS) all managed two hits, while Miller, Atkins, and Dreyer also drove home two runs apiece. Lorah, Lewis, Atkins, and Rensberger rounded the bases twice as well.

Hannah Lugar (So., Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) tossed a no-hitter through three innings, but was unable to close it out. The sophomore still finished with a solid outing to move to 14-4, giving up one run (earned) on two hits. She had four strikeouts with two walks.

Next: Penn travels to Forest City Wednesday to face Waldorf in an MCC doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.