FULTON, Mo.- After being rained out Sunday against Harris-Stowe and Monday at Hannibal-LaGrange, the William Woods baseball team looks to get back on their home field on Tuesday in a make-up double-header against Harris-Stowe State, starting at 12:00 p.m.
Last Time Out
The Owls hosted their first home game of the season on Saturday, and behind the pitching performances of
Adam Brush and
Dane Smith, the team shut-out the Hornets, winning game one 2-0 and game two 6-0.
In his complete game outing in game one, Brush kept the Hornet bats silent, allowing just six hits, striking out nine batters and walking only two. WWU offense was also kept quiet by Hornet starter Caleb Hosey, as the Owls totaled just four hits on the afternoon.
The team finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth off the bat of Robert Butvin and added one more in the bottom of the sixth, as
Eilert Meyers hit a sacrifice fly, scoring
Damon Adrian, and the team went on for the two run victory.
Game two was the same story, as Smith went in the distance in his outing, allowing seven hits, walking one and striking out seven hitters, while throwing 109 pitches. It continued to be a pitching battle again in second game, but the Owls were holding a 2-0 lead, heading into the home half of the seventh.
The offense finally came alive in the seventh, scoring four runs on five hits, getting RBI from
Zach Nichols,
Derek Fletcher, Meyers and
Austin Clapp, taking a 6-0 lead. That was more than enough for Smith and William Woods, as the team went on for the victory. Reymond Vazquez and Travis Brown each lead the Hornets with two hits, while the Owls had Greg Hamrock, Nichols, and Clapp each add two hits as well, with Fletcher and Nichols tying for the team lead in
RBI with two.
Owls Staff Looks To Continue Scoreless Streak
The stellar pitching of Brush and Smith has the Owls scoreless streak at 16/innings pitched so far, which is the longest on the early year. The starters for the Owls will look to continue that streak going, while the Hornet offense will be looking to get their offense on track, scoring early and trying to end their seven game losing streak.
On the mound,
Adam Brush and
Dane Smith have started to find a rhythm on the hill after their outings against the Hornets. Brush is holding a 4-1 record (three complete games), a team best 1.47 ERA and a K/BB ratio of 25/10. Smith has been an excellent starter following Brush, with the Halls, Tenn., native getting his first win yesterday against Harris-Stowe, lowering his ERA to 1.74 through 31.0 innings pitched and a strong K/BB ratio of 23/9.
Matt Thomas continues to be reliable out of the pen, earning three saves in five games played and a 2.08 ERA.
Mother Nature Continues to Play Spoiler
Even after the snowstorm that pounded the Midwest, cancelling numerous baseball games for the Owls including the Joplin Tournament, games against Central Methodist, Indiana Tech and Mid-Continent. Now even after the snow has melted and winter seems to be in the rear view mirror, spring showers have now cancelled a total of eight games for the Owls, all conference, four against Hannibal-LaGrange and Sunday's double-header against Harris-Stowe.
Head-to-Head Match-up
After Saturday's games, the Owls lead the Hornets in nearly every offensive statistical category that includes, runs batting average, RBI, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, home runs and slugging percentage. The Hornets who have had to forfeit a few of their games, will look to climb back up in the rankings in conference play. Travis Brown has been a bright spot offensively, ranking third in the conference in batting average, hitting .441.
Meanwhile, the Owls have evened out their overall batting average at .300 on the year through 14 games, placing them in third behind first place Lyon College (.320). Also, the Owls staff has now moved up into first place in the conference with a 4.06 ERA, holding a .01 lead on Lyon (4.07).
Offense starting to find a rhythm
So far on the season, Greg Hamrock is leading the way with a .459 overall batting average, placing him first on the team and second in the American Midwest Conference. Hamrock is also leading the team in hits (17), doubles (6), total bases (23), and slugging percentage (.622). The senior is off to a fast start in conference play through four games, hitting .538, going 7-for-13.
However, Greg isn't the lone Owl that is swinging the bat well, as there are eight other players that are batting above .300 in 2013, including
Justin Elmore (.381),
Stephen Kohler (.344),
Eilert Meyers (.341),
Derek Fletcher and Mike Vinnitsky (.333),
Jordan Thompson (.324),
Zach Nichols (.318) and
Kyle Switzer (.300).
Beside Hamrock ranking second, Kohler and Meyers are both ranked 19
th and 20
th respectively in batting average in the AMC, while Fletcher (21
st) and Thompson (24
th), gives the Owls five players in the top 25 in batting average, which is tied for the most in the conference with Lyon College.
Owls Look To Climb in AMC Standings
As of now, the team is holding down third place overall in the conference, trailing first place Lyon (8-0 AMC, 22-5 overall) and second place Missouri Baptist (5-0 AMC, 10-5 overall). After the Harris-Stowe game Tuesday, the Owls will travel for an important four game series against Missouri Baptist. For the rest of the season, WWU will only have to travel once on the road in AMC play and that is to Williams Baptist. All other conference games, teams' will have to come face the Owls at home, with the conference season closing out against Lyon College.
Notable Names atop Conference Leaders in Pitching
Plenty of players on the William Woods baseball team are having fantastic seasons thus far, a few are ranked as being one of the best in the conference. Starter
Adam Brush ranks first in the conference with a 1.47 ERA and not too far behind him in third place, is
Dane Smith lowering his ERA to 1.74. Brush and Smith also rank in the top five in opponent batting average, innings pitched, wins and runs allowed. Also, so far reliever
Matt Thomas still ranks first in the conference in saves with three.
