Park University's baseball program began Heart of America Athletic Conference play with William Penn University. Weather was a factor moving the teams to Creekside Baseball Park in Parkville, Mo. on Sunday and then finishing the series on Tuesday at Comfort Field. The Pirates began the series with two wins on Sunday and William Penn closed out play with a pair of wins on Tuesday.

Park record is now 8-9 after the split and an even 2-2 in the Heart. The Statesmen move to the same conference record and are now 14-5.

In the series, Zayne Morrow gave a strong performance at the plate with a 5-for-8 series, scoring three runs and driving in four RBI's. Two other Pirates drove in four RBI's including Bryce Dye and Armando Ramirez. Ramirez had the lone home run of the series, coming in game four for three runs.

Billy Rivera was swiped five bases and was successful on all his attempts. Both teams were close in the run column with 24 coming in for Park and 22 for the Statesmen. Both teams had seven runs total in the fifth innings, but Park had advantages six to one in the first and five to two in the third. Late in the game was when William Penn got going with a six to one scoring advantage in the sixth.

Passed balls and errors had their effect on both teams. Seven errors on Park and six on William Penn, while each team allowed five passed balls.

GAME 1 | W, 3-2 | Box Score

Adam Stilts was scoreless through three innings of play, but the game's first run came in the fourth inning. Stilts stayed strong and only allowed one more unearned run in the top of the sixth and struck out seven batters in his complete game.

The bottom of the fifth and bottom of the sixth were when Park scored all their runs. In the fifth, Rivera and Dye both singled to overtake William Penn, 2-1.

With the game tied, Daniel Maldonado played the hero with a single up the middle to score Turner for the go ahead run.

GAME 2 | W, 7-2 | Box Score

Both teams were on the board in the second inning, but starting pitcher Angel Lebron would only allow one unearned cross. Like Stilts, he sat down seven Statesmen on strikeouts and for the game allowed three hits and two walks in four innings.

Morrow tied the game in the bottom of the second with a single up the middle and the next time his spot came around, he pierced a double down the leftfield line to score two runs. This was the start of a four run inning on four hits for Park and all runs came with two outs. Dye would score on a passed ball the next sequence and Trent Turner sent a double to the left center gap to bring Morrow in, 5-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, history was made by Bryce Dye with his 38^th career double to become the outright leader in career doubles in program history. That two-run double would score the Pirates final runs for a 7-1 lead.
Dye is now the career leader in home runs, RBI's, doubles, and hit by pitches. He overtook Tim Schaareman who stood atop this record since 2018 with 37 doubles (2016-18).


No earned runs came in to score against Park and Dash Goldston and Jesse Scholtz combined to close the door in the last three innings. Goldston allowed one hit and two walks, while recording one strikeout. Scholtz was effective with no hits and one walk in his inning, as Park defeated the Statesmen 7-2.

GAME 3 | L, 6-8 | Box Score

Both teams got runs in the first inning of game three and Park was ahead 2-1 after one inning of work.

Hunter Edwards had to pitch through some adversity on the mound and kept it competitive through four plus innings of work. He averaged a strikeout per inning, allowing four hits, four walks, and had three earned runs score.

Yadiel Santana and Armando Ramirez each had three-hit games to help the Pirate cause.

One of Santana's singles extended Park's lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the second to score Corey Bradford. The afore mentioned Ramirez had a good lock on his swing on the day and scored Morrow on the single up the middle the next inning to put Park on top 4-1.

Edwards limited damage to one run in the top of the fourth, but in the top of the fifth the tide turned with six runs on five hits. Raul Garcia took the ball from Edwards and after a walk, Bryce Perdieu was given the reigns. A double play ball was an incredible boost for Park and with two away it was 4-3.

Five runs came in with two outs. An unfortunate ball caught in the sun allowed a ball to drop in shallow centerfield for a hit and tied the game at 4-4. The Statesmen came alive two singles and a double in the next three batters to lead Park 8-4.

Santana and Rivera closed the gap in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, but the Statesmen would hold on for the 8-6 win.

GAME 4 | L, 8-10 | Box Score

The Pirates were in business in the bottom of the first with a four-spot on doubles by Dye and Hernandez. One run came in on Dye's double, while two runs scored on Hernandez's. Turner added to the 3-0 lead with a simple single through to right center.

Two runs in the top of the second and the top of the third tied the game at 4-4. Morrow worked out of a bases loaded jam and struck out the side in the first inning. Two hit batters came back to hurt Morrow in the second and then he was replaced by Guillermo Gelpi after two more runs on Morrow scored off a double in the third.

Gelpi did a job in three innings of work, striking out four Statesmen.

Each side had a run come in during the fourth to keep it tied 5-5. Giving a ball a ride to left center was Ramirez in the bottom of the fifth for a three-run home run.

Park led 8-5 in the sixth, but the big inning plagued Park in game three and four. Five runs on four hits and one error decided the game 10-8 after that point. The familiar arms of Garcia, Goldston, and Scholtz carried Park the rest of the game with two innings pitched combined among them.

The Pirates continue Heart play at home against Baker University Saturday and Sunday March 18 and 19 at Comfort Field at noon both days. Watch the live action here.