FULTON, Mo. -- The William Woods University softball team will be looking for its first home win of the 2013 season as they entertain rival Columbia College in a Tuesday afternoon American Midwest Conference doubleheader. First pitch for this twin-bill, sponsored by White Dog Promotions, is set for 2 p.m.
Last Time Out
William Woods (7-9, 1-3 AMC) snapped a three-game losing streak as they defeated the Hannibal-LaGrange Trojans, 5-1, in game two of a Saturday doubleheader.
The victory game after William Woods suffered a 2-1 defeat in an 11-inning marathon in the game one. Junior MacKenzie Bowden pitched 10.2 innings in the loss and struck out a season-high 16 batters while walking just one batter.
WWU rediscovered its offense in game two, by putting up five runs through the first two innings. Junior Becca Schemmer made the runs stand, as she allowed just one run on five hits in a seven-inning complete game effort.
Columbia College (5-10, 0-0 AMC) will be playing their first AMC game of the 2013 season on Tuesday. The Cougars are returning to the Show Me State after experience a rough California trip that saw them drop all six games on the West Coast, extending their losing streak to seven games.
Columbia faced stiff competition, but were competitive by losing a pair of one-run games to no. 2 Cal State San Marcos.
Welcome Home
Tuesday marks just the second time the Owls will be playing at home this season. The Owls dropped their only set of home games on March 22, as Park University swept the AMC doubleheader.
White Out Day
On Tuesday, William Woods will be holding its annual 'White Out' game. The first 100 students in attendance will receive a free 'White Out' t-shirt thanks to our corporate sponsor, White Dog Promotions.
Double-Digit Strike Outs
Junior pitcher MacKenzie Bowden turned in a fantastic performance in a game one by striking out 16 batters in an 11-inning defeat to Hannibal-LaGrange on Saturday afternoon.
It was the first time this season that Bowden has collected double-digit strike outs and tied her career high that she set as a freshman against McKendree University.
Extra-Base Hits?
A category that William Woods is looking to improve on for the rest of the year is collect extra base hits.
Through 16 games, the Owls have had just 14 extra-base hits (10 2B', 4 HR's, 0 3B's). Senior Kristy Pluchinski leads the team with five extra-base hits (4 2B's 1 HR).
Diaper Dandy
Freshman Shelby LeCuru has made an immediate impact in her first season on campus. Through the first 16 games of the season, LeCuru is leading the team with her .346 average on 18 hits in 52 at-bats.
Owls Face Top Competition through 12 Games
So far on the season, the Owls have played some tough teams that include no.2 Cal State San Marcos, no. 3 Rogers State, no. 11 Oklahoma City and no. 18 Park University.
At the time the Owls played Vanguard University they were receiving votes in the NAIA Softball Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The team has gone 2-8 against these top team and will face another top 10 opponent in no. 5 Williams Baptist on Senior Day.
Players to Keep an Eye Out For - William Woods
There will be plenty of players to look out for in this game on offense and on the mound. Offensively for the Owls, Freshman Shelby LeCuru is leading the team through 16 games played with a .346 average (18-for-52). She is also tied for the team lead with Kacey Scharnhorst by scoring nine runs.
Senior Illissa Facchini is hitting .321 at the dish, adding five RBI's and scoring six runs. As a team, William Woods holds a .281 average, which is sixth-best in the conference.
On the mound, junior MacKenzie Bowden, incumbent Co-AMC Pitcher of the Year, is just 3-5 through seven games started -all complete games- and holds a 1.27 ERA, which places her fifth in the conference. Her 70 strikeouts in 55.1 innings is the second-highest total in the AMC. Though, she leads the AMC in Strike outs per game, whiffing 11.39 batters per start. Bowden is holding opposing batters to a .205 average, which ranks as the fifth-lowest opponent batting average in the league.
Becca Schemmer has been able to provide head coach Tracy Gastineau a solid no. 2 starter this season with the Owls. Schemmer leads the team in with four wins and has posted a 3.94 ERA.
Players To Keep An Eye Out For – Columbia College
The Cougars sport a pair of .300 hitters in Marli Hayes and Jamie Holmes. Hayes leads the team in batting average (.333), while Holmes leads the team in hits (14), doubles (4), RBI's (9) and total bases (23).
Holmes is also tied for the team lead in home runs and triples, where she has collected one a piece.
On the rubber for Columbia College, Taylor Richter has seen the bulk of the starts with her team-high seven starts. Richter has made a decision in all of her starts and currently holds a 3-4 record with an even 3.00 ERA. She leads the team in innings pitched (35) and strike outs (23).
Reliever Tiffany Urwiler is tied for the team lead in appereances (7) and leads the Cougars in earned run average with her 2.56 ERA.
Get Social With The Owls
In addition to the traditional outlets, fans can keep up with the latest news about William Woods Athletics via our social media channels. Checkout our Facebook page (Facebook.com/WWUOwls) and twitter feed (@WWU_Owls).
Corporate Partners
Today's game are sponsored by White Dog Promotions. Throughout the 2012-13 season, William Woods will take many opportunities to thank our corporate partners for their support both on and off the field for our student-athletes. Thanks to State Farm, Central Dairy, Coldwell Banker Niedergerke & Co., Columbia Orthopedic Group, Atkins Inc., Jack's Gourmet Restaurant, Holiday Inn Express, Joe Machens Dealerships, Mid-City Lumber, Mo-X, PEAK Performance, Red Weir Athletic Supplies, State Farm/Don Woodson and White Dog Promotions. For more information on the WWU Corporate Partner programs, contact the William Woods Athletic Department at 573.592.1624.
