OSKALOOSA — The Statesmen softball team almost posted another perfect game as it took one of two games in Heart of America Athletic Conference play against Benedictine Saturday.
WPU (20-10, 4-2 Heart) claimed the first game 5-0, but came up short in the nightcap 1-0.
After not having a perfect game in 18 years, the navy and gold almost recorded their second in as many weekends as Madie Anderson (Sr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Elementary Education) sat down the first 20 batters she faced in the opener.
The senior, who notched her second shutout in the last eight days, eventually had her perfection broken up by a rocket single off of the glove of third baseman Ella Pierce (Sr., McClelland, Iowa, Business Management), who was playing in front of the bag. Anderson posted four strikeouts, including striking out the side in the third frame.
Her teammates fortunately did not squander her outing, scoring their five runs on 10 hits.
The hosts put three on the board in the first, beginning with an RBI double from Rylee Riesberg (So., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science) that plated Laila Smith (So., Olympia, Wash., Elementary Education).
Riesberg then also came around, as did Laila Pelds (Jr., Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Elementary Education), on a single by Ella Pierce.
Kya Butler (Jr., Newton, Iowa, Sports Management) led off the second with a bunt single and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Peyton Naranjo (So., Ripon, Calif., Biology), while Naranjo capped the scoring off a fifth-inning single by Pelds.
Pelds and Ella Pierce each concluded the matchup with two hits. Eight of WPU’s nine starters managed a base knock in the victory.
The nightcap witnessed just eight total hits in the second contest with the Statesmen losing the battle 6-2.
The Ravens (21-13, 6-2 Heart) managed the game’s lone run in the top of the fifth, while WPU moved the tying run to third base in the seventh, but could not push it across.
Pelds and Laila Smith both tallied one hit, while Chelsey Huff (Sr., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science) was outstanding in the loss.
The senior scattered her six permitted base knocks over the span of the seven-inning complete game, while striking out eight (no walks). She sat down the Ravens in order in the first and sixth innings.
“Needless to say Madie Anderson and Chelsey Huff were awesome,” Head Coach Laura North said. “Madie had a great game and our defense made some amazing plays. Chelsey was dominant again. I knew the second game was going to be a dogfight, a sure pitcher’s duel. We were facing arguably the best pitcher in the conference and had a chance in the seventh, and that is all I can ask for. Giving up just one run all day was impressive.”
“We are pretty beat up right now and are piecing things together, but I am very happy with our performance today,” North added.
