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The Basics
Score: MNU 12 - William Penn 6
Record: MNU (36-12) - WPU (30-17)
Location: US Baseball Park - Ozark, Mo.
OZARK, Mo. - The Pioneers scored 10 runs in the middle innings to pull away from William Penn in a 12-6 victory in the first round of the Heart Conference Tournament on Thursday. The Statesmen took the first lead in the top of the 2nd with a 2-run triple. But a
Ryan Leo RBI triple and a
Randy Fernandez RBI groundout tied the game in the bottom of the inning. William Penn answered right back with 2 more in the top of the 3rd, but starter
Jhon Vargas righted the ship and pitched the next 5 innings scoreless while MNU mounted a comeback. In the bottom of the 5th with 2 outs and
Josh Torrance on 3rd,
Daunte Freeman singled home a run, stole 2nd, and scored on a
Ryan Leo RBI single to tie the game.
In the bottom of the 7th, the Pioneers took the lead for good.
Josh Torrance led off with a single, and
Adam Rellihan doubled.
Joshuan Sandoval walked to load the bases, and 1 out later,
Ryan Leo cleared the bases with his second triple of the game.
Brycen Sherwood followed with an RBI single, and
Randy Fernandez made it 9-4 with a double off the wall. With 2 outs,
Austin Healy and
Josh Torrance hit back-to-back doubles for a 7-run inning and 11-4 lead. A
Brycen Sherwood RBI double put MNU up by 8 in the bottom of the 8th, and 2 runs in the top of the 9th were all Penn could muster in the 12-6 MNU victory.
Turning Point
Ryan Leo's 3-run triple in the bottom of the 7th put MNU up for good.
Individual Leaders
Jhon Vargas struck out 4 in a 9-inning complete game for his MNU single-season record 11th win. And
Josh Torrance (2-3, R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB),
Adam Rellihan (3-5, R, 2B),
Daunte Freeman (2-4, 4 R, RBI, 2 SB, HBP),
Ryan Leo (3-5, 2 R, 2 3B, 5 RBI, SB), and
Brycen Sherwood (2-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) had multi-hit games.
Up Next
The next game is Friday at 8:30 vs. 8-seed Baker (19-29). The Wildcats beat 7-seed Culver-Stockton and 2-seed Clarke on Thursday to advance.
