MCKENZIE, Tenn. – With the 2015 season official underway, The William Woods University baseball team picked up its first win on the year, as the Owls defeated Bethel University 4-2 on Friday afternoon.
 
After a slow start in the first couple innings of play in its season opener, the Owls (1-0) sparked their bats in the top of the fifth inning, as WWU was able to rally by scoring three of its runs in the last four innings.
 
Bethel University was the first to get on the board in the bottom of the second inning, after Chase Howell doubled down the left field line off William Woods starting pitcher, John Cavness. Then with two outs, a Taylor Paterson single to left, scored Howell, giving the Wildcats the early 1-0 lead.
 
At the top of the fifth inning, the Owls would get the offense going, knocking in its first run of the game, as Jordan Dey led the inning off with a stand up double to deep left-center. Owls next batter, Nick Spagnola, would lay down the sacrifice bunt, moving Dey to third base and then with just one out Austin Clapp stepped up to the plate and hit a single past the Wildcats shortstop, scoring Dey and tying the game 1-1.
 
In the Bottom of the fifth, BU attempted to regain the lead, after a hit batter from Cavness and a Bethel University single from Kendall Adkisson, closer James Ball entered the game on the mound, with two outs in the inning, the senior stranded two Wildcat base runners to get out WWU out of the inning.
 
WWU would then put the pressure on the Wildcats in the sixth inning, as the team loaded the bases, after Larry Price reached on a drop third strike, and Cody Stewart  and Dey both drew walks, ended the day for Bethel's starting pitcher, John Woodard. Spagnola was able to rattle the Wildcats bullpen right away, as the senior came up with a big, two out deep single to left-center, scoring Price and Stewart, giving the Owls a 3-1 advantage.
 
The Owls would tally its last run of the day in the seventh inning, as Javier Ledesma crossed the plate, on an Alex St. Pierre single to shallow right, extending WWU lead to 4-1. However, the Owls would commit two errors in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving the Wildcats the opportunity to knock in a run, pushing the score to 4-2, still in the Owls favor.
 
William Woods defense would maintain its composure and stayed strong to close out the last two innings of the game, as the team went on the secure a 4-2 season-opening victory over Bethel University.
 
Spagnola and Clapp, both started their senior season off on a strong note, as the duo collected two hits on the day, going 2-for-3 and 2-for-4 at the plate, respectively. They also, each drove in a run in the win, as Spagnola drove in a team-best two runs and recorded a stolen base on the day.
 
 
Defensively, the Owls played pretty sound, only committing two errors and had two impressive performances on the mound. as Cavness recorded four strike outs in 4.2 innings pitched, while only allowing one earned run. Then Ball came to pick up the win for WWU in relief, as he struck out two batters and didn't walk a single Wildcat.
 
"We pitched and played defense," said head coach Darren Munns. "You always have a chance to win when you do those aspects of the game well."
 
Munns added, "The season opener also always gives you a great baseline for areas you need to improve at."
 
The Owls jump right back into action tomorrow afternoon, as the team continues its season-opening weekend by paying a visit to Christian Brothers University for a three-game series, starting with a double-header tomorrow at 12:00 p.m.
 
Fans check back on wwuowls.com for a full recap and scores of the double-header from Memphis, Tennessee.

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