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Box Score 2 DECATUR, Ala.—After starting the season 4-0, the (RV) William Woods University softball team dropped two close games today against top 10 teams at the Alabama Arctic Blast, falling to No. 9-ranked Belhaven University 3-0 and No. 7-ranked Auburn University at Montgomery 3-1.
Belhaven University 3 William Woods University 0
Last year, these two teams met in the NAIA Opening Round and the Blazers (8-2), were able to defeat the Owls (4-2) 2-0 in a pitching duel.
This time around, the game was no different, as Owls hurler
MacKenzie Bowden and Ginger Lonergan kept opposing bats quiet all afternoon, as they combined to allow just seven hits total and strike out 10 batters.
The two pitchers got through the first two innings with zero trouble, but in the top of the third inning, Belhaven was able to strike first. After Bowden retired the first batter, Jessica Paris was hit-by-pitch which put her on first base.
Then, leadoff hitter Josie Porter singled through the right side of the infield, and now the Blazers had runners on first and second. Shelby Watson followed that up with another hit, loading up the bases for No. 3 hitter Denee' Crawford.
Bowden got Crawford to fly out to right field, but both runners scored on the play, which gave the Blazers the early 2-0 lead, after three innings of play.
William Woods threatened in the home half of the fifth, as
Alexi Cavins hit a one out single to left field to give the Owls its second hit on the afternoon.
Julie Scheer then came in to pinch-run for Cavins, and after Lonergan got the next batter to retire,
Kacey Scharnhorst earned her second hit of the game with a single to right, and was able to advance to second base on the throw to third in an attempt to tag out Scheer.
With runners on second and third,
Hannah Campbell looked to tie up the game, but Lonergan got the freshman to fly-out to left field and end the inning.
Belhaven was able to add another run in the sixth and hold off the Owls for the three-run victory. The Blazers totaled four hits in the game, led by its 1-2-3 hitters of Porter, Watson and Crawford, combining to go 3-for-7 with two runs scored and three RBI.
The Owls compiled three hits, led by Scharnhorst going 2-for-2 with one RBI, while Cavins contributed the other hit for the offense. On the mound, Bowden went the distance, allowing three runs on four hits, and struck out six Blazer batters.
Auburn University at Montgomery 3 William Woods 1
In game two, the Warhawks (3-0), got things started in the bottom of the third inning on Owls senior pitcher
Becca Schemmer, as Therese Byrne led the inning off with a triple, and she did not stay there long, as Marisa Magnuson followed up with a single to shallow right and gave AUM the 1-0 lead.
Two batters later, Katie Spain singled to right field and brought home Magnuson to give the Warhawks a 2-0 lead after three innings.
Auburn University at Montgomery would extend its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth, as Paige Nielsen brought home Spain on a single up the middle.
In the top of the seventh, the Owls cut the deficit down to 3-1 after,
Grace Fritz would single to left field and score
Shelby LeCuru, but that would be the end of the rally, as pitcher Taylor Powell closed out the threat and the Warhawks held on for the two-run victory.
The Owls totaled three hits in the game, with
Hannah Campbell,
Shelby LeCuru and Fritz each having one. On the mound, Schemmer went six innings, allowed three runs on eight hits and struck out four batters.
The Warhawks compiled eight hits, led by Byrne at the leadoff spot, going 3-for-3 with one run scored, while Spain and Nielsen combined to go 4-for-6 with two RBI and one run scored. Powell went the distance for AUM, allowing one run on three hits and struck out six.
"We did not have quality at-bats today," said head coach
Tracy Gastineau. "When you face good teams like we did today, you expect offense to be challenged, but I still felt we could have had better approaches during our at-bats."
"Having said that, I also realize it is early and we play tough teams to get ready for the conference season," she added. "So I feel we are getting valuable experience that will pay off as the season progresses."
William Woods will look to rebound on the final day of the Alabama Arctic Blast, as the Owls will play three games on the day. First up will be No. 11-ranked Lindsey Wilson at 10 a.m.
Fans stay updated on wwuolws.com tomorrow evening for a full recap and scores from Alabama.
