Statesmen take key series
OSKALOOSA, Iowa -- Mount Mercy and William Penn came into their weekend series with a lot on the line and it showed. The Statesmen took a pair of intense games on Saturday as well as Sunday's opener before the Mustangs won the series finale at Penn Field.
When the dust settled, both teams had identical 15-9 marks in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, while Mount Mercy moved to 27-13 overall and William Penn settled at 26-13. The top four teams in the Heart's North Division square off next weekend as the Mustangs host division-leading Clarke (29-12, 18-6 Heart) and Peru State (19-21, 15-7 Heart) visits William Penn.
A 5-run second inning was the difference in Saturday's opener. Only two of those runs were earned off Mustang left-hander Blake Willenborg (SR/Central City, Iowa) (7-1), who suffered his first loss of the season. He scattered six hits while striking out five and walking two in six innings. Jake Faur (SR/Clinton, Iowa) had two of Mount Mercy's five hits while Kaimana Souza-Paaluhi (JR/Mililani, Hawaii) and Trey Roberson (SO/Lincoln, Neb.) each drove in a run.
The Statesmen won the nightcap as well, 7-2, in a game that saw four ejections midway through the contest. Zach Barden (FR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) hit a solo home run, Spencer Wiskus (SR/North Liberty, Iowa) drove in a run, and Chili Moseley (SR/Eldridge, Iowa) went 3-for-4 and scored a run. Lefty Kobey Schlotman (JR/Coralville, Iowa) (4-3) got the loss after allowing six earned runs on seven hits in three innings. Right-hander Tyler Stern (JR/North Liberty, Iowa) held William Penn to one hit over the final three innings.
William Penn broke a 4-4 tie with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to beat Mount Mercy, 6-4, in Sunday's opener. The Mustangs only managed three hits, which came from Moseley, Roberson, and Tyler Dahm (FR/Coralville, Iowa). Moseley, Souza-Paaluhi, and Barden had the RBIs. Lefty Dylan Campbell (SR/McKinleyville, Calif.) (3-3) was the losing pitcher, having allowed five earned runs on just three hits. He struck out three but walked six in 3-2/3 innings. Right-hander Tanner Lohaus (SR/North Liberty, Iowa) pitched well in relief, surrendering three hits while striking out three.
Faur's gem allowed the Mustangs to salvage a 3-1 victory in the series finale. The right-hander went six innings, allowing just two hits and an earned run while totaling eight strikeouts against three walks. Roberson went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in, Moseley added two more hits, and Lyle Fini (SR/Fort Dodge, Iowa) had an RBI.
Saturday is Strikeout Cancer Day as the Mustangs open their 4-game series with Clarke at 1:00 p.m. at the Robert W. Plaster Athletic Complex. Then on Sunday, Mount Mercy hosts Senior Day with first pitch at 1:00 p.m.