ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The William Woods University baseball team continues its six-game road trip this weekend, as they take on Harris-Stowe State University for an American Midwest Conference three-game set. The series will open on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. and conclude with a Saturday doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
William Woods (16-5, 5-3 AMC) has won three straight coming into this weekend, thanks to winning the final game of last week's three-game set against No. 25 Freed-Hardeman and sweeping a doubleheader against Park University on Tuesday. The Owls have benefited from a strong offense over the three-game winning streak, as they are averaging 10 runs per game and are hitting .367.
For Harris-Stowe (2-14, 0-8 AMC), they are on a current seven-game losing streak, but they will be looking to snap a 36-game AMC that dates back to the 2012 season. The last time the Hornets picked up a win in conference play was April 23, 2012 with a 5-0 win over Benedictine University at Springfield.
The Owls will feature the conference's leading hitter coming into this three-game set, as Cody Stewart's .485 batting average is the best in the AMC, and is the eighth-highest in the NAIA. The Temecula, Calif., native has collected a team-best 32 hits in 21 games, which is second most in the AMC. Stewart is currently on a 13-game hitting streak coming into this weekend's action.
As a team, WWU posts a .311 batting average, which is the third-highest in the AMC. They are averaging the second-most runs in the conference at 7.2. Zach Nichols and Matt Thomas are tied for the team lead in RBI's with 21 apiece.
James Ball and Dane Smith have both been lights out through the early part of the season, as the two pitchers are near the top of the conference in several pitching categories.
Ball is first in the AMC in saves with six - the number is also the sixth-highest collection of saves this season by a NAIA player. The reliever is also tied for first in walks with three, second in the AMC in ERA at 1.11 and is second in the league in strikeouts with 27. The righty has allowed just one run over his last 10.1 innings.
Smith has been the Owls best starter this season, as he is 4-1 with a 1.67 ERA in five starts this season. The Halls, Tenn., was roughed up a bit in his last start, allowing a season-high six runs, four earned, in a loss to Freed-Hardeman University.
Despite that last outing, Smith holds the fourth-best ERA in the AMC, and leads the league in strikeouts with 29. The four wins for the righty is a team-high, and the fourth-most in the conference.
Harris-Stowe is coming off a two-game sweep at the hands of No. 4 Missouri Baptist on Tuesday. The Hornets pitching staff took a beating in the two-game set, as they allowed a combined 41 runs in 14 innings of play.
Jess Cartner leads HSSU in hitting with his .333 batting average. Cartner has collected 19 hits in 57 at-bats this season, and he is one of four Hornet players to collect two homeruns this season. As a team, Harris-Stowe is hitting .252 and has hit 10 homeruns as a team.
Chris Kirkpatrick leads a pitching staff that holds an 8.77 ERA. Kirkpatrick is 1-2 on the year with a 6.65 ERA in six appearances, four of which have been starts. Teams are hitting .337 off the Hornets this season and have allowed 16 home runs.
Check back with wwuowls.com for a full recap of each game this weekend.
