FULTON, Mo. – The newly No. 25 ranked William Woods University baseball team escaped Tuesday's nine inning match-up against MidAmerica Nazarene University with a come from behind 8-7 win, to extend its win streak to eight.
 
The Owls (33-9; 17-6 AMC), were able to take the hard fought battle, as the team plated the go ahead run in the eighth inning, after having a huge three run fifth inning to boast WWU win streak and give them the momentum heading into its last regular season series this weekend.
 
WWU saw themselves down 3-0 after the first inning, as the Pioneers scored three runs off of three hits and an Owls error. MNU lead off batter, Clayton Brandt gave the Owls defense havoc as he reached on the walk, stole second base, then on a passed ball advance to third and with a WWU error he crossed home plate, making it 1-0. Later in the inning, with a RBI single off the bat from Santiago Romero scored two more runs for the Pioneers, pushing its lead to 3-0.
 
MNU extended its lead by plating three more runs in the top of the third, after Trent Sullivan drew a walk, which ended WWU starting pitcher, Garrett Haslags' day, and after another WWU walk, Nelson Santiago crushed a three run home run over the right field fence, making the score 6-0 in the Pioneers favor.
 
The Owls would get on the board in the half of its inning with a lead off single from Josh Finney, then Grant Garrett would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move Finney up 90 feet to set up Nick Spagnola to drive in his 18^th RBI on the season and cut the Pioneers lead to 6-1.
 
Then in the bottom of the fifth inning the Owls bats came alive, as Price singled past the pioneer short stop, scoring Javier Ledesma and cutting MNU lead down, 6-2. The Owls weren't done there, Spagnola the next batter singled up the middle, plating his second RBI of the game and getting the Owls within three, 6-3. Then with runners on the corners for Owls three hole, Cody Stewart hit a sacrifice fly to right, deep enough to get Price across home plate and making the score 7-4.
 
After holding the Pioneers scoreless for the next two innings, the Owls would tie the game up in the bottom of the seventh, plating two runs on two hits, while also taking advantage of a wild throw from the Pioneers catcher in attempt to catch Stewart stealing third, that allowed the Owls to put its seventh run on the board.
 
With the Owls being behind all game, in the bottom of the eighth Garrett would lead things off with a single and then be pinched ran by Patrick Dillion, who was moved up to second base by a sacrifice bunt from Price and with a misplayed grounder it put runners on the corners for WWU. Then with two outs, no one better than the team's leading RBI hitter at the plate, would come through yet again, as Stewart knocked in the go ahead run by beating a ball out hit to short stop.
 
Closer, James Ball who came into the game in relief  in the fifth inning, stranded the tying run on third base, by striking out the Pioneers last batter in the top of the ninth, to preserve the  one-run 8-7 victory over MNU.
 
The Owls combined for 12 hits on the day, as Spagnola led the way going 3-for-5 from the plate and collecting two RBI's. Stewart and Jordan Dey each recorded a pair of hits, while both hits from Dey's bat were doubles and Stewart lead the night with a team-high three RBI's.
 
On the mound for WWU,  there were six different players to make an appearance, while all of the chipped into the win, it was Ball who came away with his seventh win on the season. Ball, pitched four scoreless innings, only allowed one hit, while striking out two batters.
 
"It was a great team win to come from behind against an excellent team," said head coach Darren Munns. "I'm proud of how we fought tonight."
 
The Owls now go into its last regular season weekend series on an eight game win streak, to face the No. 26 ranked Missouri Baptist University, starting with a nine inning game set for Friday at 2:00 p.m.
 
Fans check back on wwuowls.com for a full preview of this AMC showdown later this week.

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