Box Score
FULTON, Mo. -- The William Woods University baseball team could not collect the big hit on Friday night, as they suffered a 7-6 loss to No. 25 Freed-Hardeman University in American Midwest Conference action.
William Woods (13-3, 2-2 AMC) managed to get 16 runners on base during the nine-inning affair against No. 25 Freed-Hardeman (13-5, 3-1 AMC), but hit just .250 (5-for-20) once those runners reached base, causing for some missed opportunities.
"Freed-Hardeman really outplayed us tonight. We had plenty of opportunities to back into game but could not capitalize," said Head Coach Darren Munns. "Give them credit, they took advantage of their opportunities and with the way we hit with runners on we were fortunate to even be in the game."
Dane Smith got the start for William Woods and labored through 5.1 innings, as he gave up a season-high six runs, five of which were earned, and allowed 10 hits to suffer his first defeat of the year.
"I thought Dane competed tonight without his best stuff, and was still able to give us a chance to win," said Munns of the righty. "He is human, and tonight he showed that. You get spoiled a bit when you have someone throw as many shutout frames as he does. He wasn't at his best tonight, but he left the game with us only being down one run, so I'm really proud of the way he competed tonight."
The Owls, despite the loss, still managed to collect eight hits on the night, as Cody Stewart, Matt Thomas, and Austin Clapp each had a two-hit performance. Clapp drove in a career-high four runs on Friday, three of which came in the bottom of the fifth with a clutch two-out bases loaded double to tie the game at 5-5.
"Austin provided the one big hit that we had tonight," said Munns. "It tied the game up, and with our bullpen we felt pretty good after that double. Later in the game, he provided another big sacrifice fly to right field, so he put together two quality at-bats with runners in scoring position."
The Lions scratched a run across in the first inning, but WWU was able to respond with a run of its own in the bottom half of the frame with a Thomas RBI single to right.
Freed-Hardeman scored three runs in the top of the third to snap the tie and give them the 4-1 advantage. William Woods missed an opportunity for runs in the bottom of the fourth, as they loaded the bases with nobody out. However, WWU was unable to get a runner home, a pair of fly outs and a liner ended the inning with the bases loaded.
Top fifth inning was a scoring frame for both squad, as FHU added a run in the top of the fifth before William Woods exploded for four runs, highlighted by Clapp's three-run double, to knot the contest up at 5-5.
FHU added snapped the tie in its half of the sixth inning, as the Owls misplayed a groundball to allow a Lion runner to scamper home. The Lions added an insurance run in the seventh inning with a Garrett Ferguson RBI double, giving his team the 8-6 advantage.
William Woods had another opportunity for a big inning in the bottom of the seventh with runners on second and third with one out. The Owls were unable to get the big hit in the frame, as they scored only one run off a Clapp sac fly to pull within one at 7-6.
WWU managed only one base runner over the game's final two innings, as Freed-Hardeman won game one of this three-game set, 7-6.
The Owls will be back in action tomorrow with a doubleheader against the Lions starting at 12 p.m.
Check back with wwuowls.com for a full recap of both games.
