COLUMBIA, Mo.—The No. 5-seeded William Woods University softball team saw its 2015 run in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Tournament, come to an end on Thursday morning, as the Owls fell 8-4, against No. 2-seeded Park University.
The Pirates (27-13; 18-6 AMC), got the scoring started in the top of the first, as they plated three runs on two hits, but were helped out by two WWU (28-24; 16-8 AMC), defensive errors.
Park was able to stretch its lead out to 4-0 in the top of the second, as Megan Palmer hit an infield single, which scored Callie Beaver, who reached base on an Owls error.
In the bottom of the second, however, William Woods got one of those runs back, as
Shelby LeCuru belted her second home run in as many days, this one a solo shot, to make it a 4-1 game.
The team was narrow the deficit again in the third, as senior
Sam Parsons led off with a single to right. After a sacrifice bunt and strikeout,
Kacey Scharnhorst was able to single to center, scoring Parsons and making it a 4-2 outing.
In the top of the fourth, Park got some breathing room back, as they scored two runs on two hits, with the first RBI coming off the bat of Shelby Bendure, while the second, was an RBI groundout from Lindsey Derry, which scored Megan Palmer, who walked earlier in the inning.
In the home half of the fifth, WWU had the bases loaded with one out, but reliever Allie Reynolds, was able to get the final two Owl hitters to strikeout and keep the lead at four runs.
In the top of the sixth, Beaver and Palmer each hit consecutive singles up the middle to start off the inning. After a sacrifice bunt, Derry grounded out short, which scored Beaver, to make it a 7-2 game.
WWU had a chance to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the sixth, as they had the bases loaded again, this time with two outs, but reliever Allie Reynolds was able to get
Sydnae Hatton to fly-out and end the threat.
The Pirates went on to add another run in the seventh and headed to the bottom of the inning, up 8-2 over the Owls.
In the final inning, WWU continued to battle, as Scharnhorst started off with a double to deep left field. Two batters later, she was able to score, as
Brailee Schulte smashed a two-run homer, over the left field wall, to narrow the lead down to 8-4.
That, however, would be the final runs of the game for the Owls, as Reynolds got the final two batters to strikeout and secure the win for Park.
The offense totaled four runs on 10 hits, but defensively, the team committed four errors. Leading the way at the plate was Scharnhorst, as she went 3-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI. Hatton, LeCuru and Parsons each added two hits, while Schulte totaled one hit and two RBI.
Starter
Allison Waskow took the loss, as she went 2.0 innings, allowing four runs (zero earned) on five hits and struck out four. Reliever
Julie Scheer, meanwhile, went 5.0 innings, allowed four runs on five hits and struck out two Pirates.
Park's offense, also totaled 10 hits and were led by Palmer going 3-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Britanee Willard went 2-for-4 with two runs scored at the leadoff spot.
On the rubber, starter Kelli Wenberg got the win, as she went 4.0 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and struck out six. Reynolds was just as impressive in relief, going 3.0 innings, also allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six.
Fans make sure to stay updated on wwuowls.com for all-conference and academic all-conference honorees and a full season recap on the Owls softball team.
