COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The William Woods University softball team stretched out to a four-game winning streak with a pair of victories over Columbia College on Friday. The Owls battled to a 2-1 win in the opener before running out 6-3 winners in the nightcap, as Lindsey LeCuru (Jefferson City, Mo.) belted back-to-back home runs in the first and second innings to put the game out of reach.

The first three-and-a-half innings were scoreless, before the hosts opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff home run from Marli Hayes.

William Woods would immediately answer, as Nicole Hamdorf (Grain Valley, Mo.) capitalized on a pair of errors by Hayes, reaching safely as the leadoff batter and advancing to second as Sam Parsons (Hallsville, Mo.) was safe on a fielder's choice. After a sacrifice by Lauren Lopes (Lompoc, Calif.) pushed both runners into scoring position, a single from Ashley DePew (Highland, Ill.) plated Hamdorf and LeCuru scored Parsons with a sacrifice fly to left.

The Cougars managed to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but the Owls escaped the threat to run out winners, as MacKenzie Bowden (Hartsburg, Mo.) picked up her ninth win on the year.

LeCure would do her part to put the second game out of reach early, leading off in the bottom of the first with a solo shot before cracking a three-run shot in the bottom of the second. Ilissa Facchini (Tulare, Calif.) also turned a walk into a run for the Owls, drawing a walk and advancing on singles by Kelsey Schulte (Honey Creek, Mo.) and Parsons. Macy Wierschem (Waterloo, Ill.) drew a bases-loaded walk to push Facchini across for the 5-1 WWU lead.

The Owls added one run in the bottom of the fifth and although Columbia was able to grab two runs back in the sixth, Becca Schemmer (Huntsville, Mo.) moved to 5-3 on the year with the complete game win.

William Woods moves to 22-13 (8-2 AMC) on the year and sits just percentage points behind Williams Baptist in the AMC standings. WWU returns home on Monday, hosting Missouri Valley College in a 4:30 p.m. doubleheader. The game will serve as Senior Day, with the Owls recognizing their five seniors prior to the game.