Box Score
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The William Woods University baseball team clubbed a season-high three home runs on the day to defeat Harris-Stowe State University, 17-11, in a slugfest, taking game one of this weekend's three-game American Midwest Conference series.
Both teams combined to hit seven home runs in the nine-inning game, as William Woods (17-5, 6-3 AMC) got dingers from Zach Nichols, Austin Clapp, and Nick Spagnola to extend the Owl's winning streak to four games. Harris-Stowe (2-15, 0-9 AMC) outslugged WWU, as they hit four home runs, but it wasn't enough to end its near two-year losing streak in the AMC, as the loss now  gives the Hornets 33 straight conference losses dating back to the 2012 season.
The William Woods offense kept its hot-streak alive on Friday afternoon, as they busted out 18 hits and scored 17 runs for the second time in its four-game winning streak. Nichols, Spagnola, and Matt Thomas each collected a team-high three hits in the win. Spagnola and Clapp drove in a combined eight runs on the day, as each player tallied a game-high four RBI's on the day.
On the pitching side, Dane Smith suffered his second straight rough outing, as he allowed a season-high eight runs - all earned - on nine hits in four innings pitched. The AMC strikeout leader did add four more strikeouts to his season total, as he now has 33 on the year.
Dylan Hastings picked up his second win on the year, as the righty came out of the Owls bullpen to throw 3.1 innings of two-run baseball. The Vista, Calif., native gave up just three hits and struck out two in his longest career outing out of the pen.
For the second straight game, WWU was able to collect five stolen bases, as Spagnola swiped two bases on the day. Clapp, Derrek Fletcher, and Cody Stewart each collected a stolen base in the win. For Stewart, he failed to get a hit on the afternoon, ending his 13-game hitting streak.
For Harris-Stowe, they were led by Jess Cartner's four-hit day. The first baseman went 4-for-5 from the plate and was one of four Hornets to hit a home run. Â Cartner was also one of two HSSU players to drive in three runs.
Chris Kirkpatrick fell to 1-3 on the year for Harris-Stowe, as the starter gave up a season-high 12 runs, nine earned, on 12 hits and failed to strike out a batter.
A Zach Nichols three-run home run sparked the Owls to a four-run top of the first. It was the second home run on the year for the leftfielder. The Hornets were able to cut the WWU lead in half in the bottom of the half of the inning, as Jess Cartner hit a 1-0 pitch to center field for a two-run shot, making it 4-2 after one.
Harris-Stowe pulled within one the next inning, as Jordan Weaks' two-out single scored a runner from second base to make it a 4-3 game.
The Owls took a commanding 12-3 lead thanks to a pair of four-run innings in the top of the third and fourth. Austin Clapp hit WWU's second three-run home run of the day in the top of the third, and William Woods posted four RBI hits in the fourth inning to take the nine-run lead.
The Hornets pulled back with three runs thanks to a pair of home runs, as Gasberth Pacheco hit a solo shot in the fifth, followed by a Alex Mancillas three-run dinger in the bottom of the sixth, making it 12-9 after six.
Spagnola added another run for WWU in the top of the seventh with an RBI to score Matt Thomas. HSSU added a run in the eighth and ninth innings, but a four-run top of the ninth for William Woods put the game out of reach for Harris-Stowe, as WWU took game one in this three-game series, 17-11.
The Owls return to action tomorrow afternoon, as they wrap-up this three-game set with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader. Game one is set for a 12 p.m. start, while the series finale is set for roughly 2:30 p.m.
Check back with wwuowls.com for a full recap of both games.
