Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SHAWNEE, Okla.—The (RV) William Woods University softball team continued its impressive play to start the 2014 season, as the Owls rolled past No. 24-ranked Friends University 6-1 in game one and finished the tournament on a high note, as they defeated host and No.15-ranked Oklahoma Baptist University 4-1.

William Woods 6 Friends University 1
After finishing yesterday's double-header 4-for-7 with three runs scored and two RBI, senior Lindsey LeCuru continued to swing a hot bat, as the Jefferson City, Mo., native hit her first home run on the season in the first inning, drilling a two-run shot over the wall and put WWU up 2-0 after one inning of play.
 
The Owls (4-0) would continue to hold a two-run advantage through the third, but then Lindsey LeCuru struck again, this time hitting a solo home run and put the team ahead 3-0. Friends University (0-2), however, responded in the home half of the fourth, cutting the lead down to 3-1, on an RBI from Khadijah Bland.
 
WWU's offense couldn't be stopped in the game, as in the fifth, they put two more runs across the plate and gained some breathing room, holding a 5-1 lead. The Owls would go on and add another run in the top of the seventh and defeat its first top 25 team on the season.
 
Offensively, the Owls had eight hits, led by Lindsey LeCuru going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and three RBI. Freshman Hannah Campbell did damage at the leadoff position for the Owls, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Shelby LeCuru and Sydnae Hatton were the other WWU players to earn an RBI on the afternoon.
 
On the mound, senior Becca Schemmer picked up her second victory on the season, after pitching a solid outing against Friends, throwing a complete game, allowing one run on six hits and struck out a season-high seven batters.
 
"Becca pitched a gem for us today, and overall this weekend," said head coach Tracy Gastineau. "I am especially proud of her and MacKenzie Bowden for how they pitched, since this is the first time they have thrown on dirt in quite some time," she added.
 
William Woods 4 Oklahoma Baptist University 1
In game two, the Owls jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first and then would tack on the eventual game winning run in the third, grabbing a 2-0 lead against Oklahoma Baptist (2-1).
 
The team would push its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth, bringing home two runs and behind the pitching performance of Bowden, the Owls held off the Bison's in the seventh and went on for the three-run victory.
 
Bowden had a fantastic game on the mound, throwing a complete game four-hitter, allowing just one run and struck out a season-high 14 batters.  "Mac (MacKenzie) threw very well throughout the weekend," said Gastineau. "Both Becca and MacKenzie gave our offense an opportunity to win and that's all you can ask for," she added.
 
The offense was held to only four hits, but made them count when needed, as catcher Macy Wierschem led the team going 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Beth Begemann went 1-for-1 with one RBI and three runs scored. Lindsey LeCuru went 2-for-3 with one run scored against OBU and finished the day, 4-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored.
 
"It feels great to get two wins against top 25 teams," said Gastineau. "It gives us a look at what we can do and where we want to be."
 
The Owls are off to a fantastic start to the year, and even though the team is just four games in, coach Gastineau couldn't have asked for a better start. "It is hard to complain when we are 4-0, so I feel really good about our start," said Gastineau. "We still have a lot of work to do, but we had so much production up and down the lineup and from a lot of different people. Hopefully, that gives us the boost we need to head into next weekend," she added.
 
The tough competition continues for the Owls at the Alabama Arctic Blast in Decatur, Ala., which will start on Feb. 21^st. First-pitch begins at 2 p.m. in a rematch against Belhaven University, who defeated the Owls last year 2-0 in the NAIA Opening Round.
 
Fans stay updated on wwuowls.com throughout the 2014 season for full previews and recaps on the softball team. 

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