MOUNT PLEASANT – William Penn University attacked Iowa Wesleyan College pitching for 23 hits over two games and posted an easy doubleheader sweep of the Tigers Tuesday night at the Mapleleaf Community Complex.
The Lady Statesmen won the opening game of the night 8-2, taking the lead in the first inning and never trailing. Penn then won the second game 11-0 in five innings to complete the sweep and remain on top of the Midwest Collegiate Conference standings.
The Tigers posted just nine hits over the two games, six of them coming in the first game. The visitors jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the opener, though, with a two-run home run by Tyanna Helton in the first inning and three more runs in the third inning.
Wesleyan came back with a run in the third when Kelley Bettag (Fr.-Dale, Ind.) doubled in Stephanie Benge (Sr.-Mount Pleasant, Iowa). The Lady Statesmen responded with two more in the fourth and another run in the fifth, while IWC could score just once more when Sarah Weber (Jr.-Danville, Iowa) crossed the plate after an error in the fourth inning.
William Penn broke open the second game with three runs in the third inning, all coming with two outs, and then six runs in the third. The Lady Statesmen added two more in the fifth, while pitcher Allysa Fligg held the Tigers to just three hits in the second game.
Benge led the Tigers with three hits on the night and was the only IWC hitter with more than one hit. Wesleyan dropped to 10-16 overall, 6-6 in the MCC, while William Penn is now 21-13 overall, 11-1 in conference play.
The Tigers return to the field Thursday for a non-conference doubleheader against Purdue (Ind.) University-North Central at 5 p.m. at Mapleleaf. IWC then will host its annual Betty Sammons Classic this weekend, starting Friday at noon at East Lake Park.
For more information regarding the IWC softball program or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
Box score Game 1 WPU 8 IWC 2
Box score Game 2 WPU 11 IWC 0
