April 21, 2006

OSKALOOSA, Iowa - William Penn University (Iowa) has sponsored collegiate softball for more than 30 years, but the 2006 Lady Statesmen squad was the first to play a home game at night under the lights.  Penn spilt a doubleheader with Midwest Classic Conference foe Iowa Wesleyan on April 19.  Penn (21-19, 7-5 MCC) shut out the Tigers in game one, 2-0, but fell in the nightcap, 6-5.

Earlier this month, Musco Lighting, of Oskaloosa, erected six 70-foot poles around the softball field for the lighting of the complex.  The company donated the lights to the university and previously erected lights at several other areas around the Penn campus and throughout the city of Oskaloosa.

Last season, Penn rented portable lights from Musco for the MCC Softball Conference Tournament, but the Lady Statesmen never competed with the lights on.  The addition of the lights allows games to be played in the evening, allowing players to remain in class longer for home games.

Penn becomes the first school-owned field in the conference to have lights at its softball facility.