FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University baseball team earned a doubleheader split with No. 17 Freed-Hardeman University in American Midwest Conference (AMC) action on Saturday afternoon at Owl Field.
 
The Owls dropped game one, 8-1, before coming back and winning, 7-6, on a walk-off hit-by-pitch in the 13th inning of game two.
 
The Owls return to action on Wednesday, March 30th when they travel to Kansas City, Mo. to face Avila University. First-pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
 
Game One
Game Flow
William Woods starter, John Cavness, looked sharp in the top of the first inning as he retired the first two hitters. After a two out hit, Cavness retired the next batter ending the inning.
 
After being shutout in yesterday's game against Freed-Hardeman, the Owls came out and scored in the bottom of the first inning. With Nolan Aherin on second base, Jordan Dey tripled to right field, scoring Aherin and putting the Owls ahead 1-0.
 
That would be the last time the Owls would lead in game one, as the Lions got to Cavness in the second inning. Houston Looser doubled to left field. After a strikeout, Darcy Moore singled, scoring Looser from second base. Moore came around to score on a Joseph Leatherwood single and putting the Lions ahead, 2-1.
 
William Woods looked to as if they would tie the game in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, the Owls had runners on the corners but could not get one across the plate and after the inning, the Owls trailed, 2-1.
 
The Lions continued to attack and extended its lead to 4-1 in the top of the third inning. Looser drove in two runs in the inning on a double down the left field line. The lead grew to 5-1, after a Darcy Moore took the first pitch of the fourth inning for a homerun over the left field fence.
 
The Owls had no answer for the Lions in game one as they slowly grew the lead to 8-1 over William Woods and the Owls dropped game one, 8-1.
 
By the Numbers
6 – The Owls collected six hits in game one
2 – Drew May led WWU with two hits in game one
1 – Jordan Dey collected the Owls only RBI of the game
2 – William Woods drew two walks in game one
8 – The Lions scored eight runs after the Owls led 1-0.
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – John Cavness, 4.2 IP, 11H, 7R (5 ER), 1BB, 3K's
FHU – Nolan Huber, 7 IP, 6H, 1R (0 ER), 2BB's, 2K's
 
Game Two
Game Flow
Ryan Phillips and Jack Coleman locked in early in a pitcher's duel of game two as neither pitcher allowed a hit until the top of the fourth. Freed-Hardeman got to Phillips in the top of the fourth. Zac Carter singled to right-center scoring one. The Lions put one more on the board leading, 2-0. Phillips settled down as he picked off one runner in the inning and struck out the next to ending the frame.
 
After collecting its first hit in the fourth inning, the Owls got its second hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Matt Priest tripled to right-center. After a line out, Priest scored on a ground out by Dakota Smith trimming the Lions lead down to one, 2-1.
 
Freed-Hardeman looked as if they would extend its lead in the top of the sixth inning with two outs and two runners on. Griffin Siebert singled loading the bases for the Lions, however, Phillips got Moore to fly out ending the inning and keeping the Owls down one, 2-1.
 
The Owls took the lead in the bottom of the sixth. After a leadoff walk to Alex St. Pierre, got the Owls started. St. Pierre advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nolan Aherin. With one on, Phillips came to the plate and fell behind in the count, 1-2. The next pitch, Phillips hit a two-run homerun to left field putting the Owls ahead, 3-2.
 
William Woods continued to hold onto the 3-2 lead until the top of the eighth inning. Freed-Hardeman got to Phillips in the top of the eighth inning as Case Young led off with a triple to right field. After a fly out, Garrett Ferguson hit a two-run homerun to left field putting the Lions ahead 4-3. The Lions grew the lead to 5-3, after a Siebert double scored Looser.
 
The Owls trailed, 5-3, entering the bottom of the ninth inning. Drew May led off with a single to center and pinch hitter Konrad Kemper drew a walk putting two runners on base. After the walk the Lions brought in Beau Caviness. Caviness got the first hitter to field into a fielder's choice and runners were on the corner. St. Pierre followed with a walk to loading the bases. After the second out of the inning, Phillips came up to bat and singled through the hole at shortstop scoring two and tying the game at 5-5. The Owls could not get the winning run across and the game went to extra innings.
 
Freed-Hardeman's Caviness and William Wood's reliever Blake Novack did not allow the offenses to do anything for the first three extra innings of play. The Lions got to Novack in the top of the 13th inning. Moore led off with a single, and advanced to second with a sacrifice bunt. Moore then stole third base. Nathan Van Nortwick followed with a sacrifice fly putting the Owls ahead 6-5.
 
The Owls needed to score one run in the bottom of the frame to extend the game. Liked the bottom of the ninth inning, May led off the inning by reaching base, this time by a walk. After a strikeout, Tanner Wetrich doubled down the left field line putting runners on second and third with one out. The Lions followed with an Intentional Walk to St. Pierre loading the bases. With one out and the bases loaded, Nolan Aherin drew a walk scoring May and tying the game at 6-6. Phillips ended the game by getting hit by his second pitch of the contest and scoring Wetrich for the winning run. The Owls defeated No. 17 Freed-Hardeman, 7-6, in 13 innings.
 
By the Numbers
8 – Ryan Phillips struck out eight Lions in his 7.1 innings pitched of game two
10 – The Owls collected 10 hits in game two
2 – WWU was hit by two pitches in the contest, none bigger than the bases loaded HBP that won the game for the Owls
5 – Ryan Phillips drove in five runs in game two,
3 – Jordan Dey collected three hits in game two
9 – William Woods drew nine walks in the victory over No. 17 Freed-Hardeman
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Ryan Phillips, 7.1 IP, 9H, 4R (3ER), 0BB, 8K's
FHU – Jack Coleman, 5.1 IP, 4H, 3R (3ER), 2BB's, 3K's