FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University baseball team won their fifth game in a row as they defeated Harris-Stowe State University, 6-3, in its American Midwest Conference (AMC) opener on Friday afternoon.
 
John Cavness picked up the win for the Owls and with the win he set the career wins mark with 21 for William Woods.
 
Game Flow
The Owls broke the game open in the bottom of the first inning. After back-to-back walks to lead the game, Jansen Smith doubled to left-center scoring Price and advancing Priest to third base. Priest scored on a Jordan Dey ground out putting the Owls ahead 2-0. Smith came around to score on a Ryan Phillips single to left field. After the first inning the Owls led 3-0.
 
William Woods extended its lead in the bottom of the second inning. Tanner Wetrich doubled to left center and came around to score on a Tim Keathley error. The Owls led 4-0 after two innings of play. Anthony Davison singled to left in the bottom of the third stretching the Owls lead to 5-0 as Patrick Dillion came around to score.
 
Cavness came out dealing as he kept the Hornet hitters off balance as he did not give up a hit until the top of the fourth inning. In the fourth inning Cavness had runners on the corner with one out, and he got Jonathan Alverez to into an inning ending double play.
 
After Harris-Stowe kept the Owls off the board in the fourth inning, the Owls collected its sixth run of the game in the bottom of the fifth when Ryan Phillips hit a home run to left field.
 
The Hornets showed some offensive life in the top of the sixth inning as they scored two runs on three hits and took advantage of one WWU error. After a five and a half were complete the Owls led 6-2.
 
The game remained 6-2 until the top of the ninth inning when Bret Harris came in, in relief of Cavness. The Hornets jumped on Harris as Andres Alburjas singled up the middle and then stole second base. Alvarez was hit by a pitch putting two runners on base. Alburjas scored on a Gasberth Pacheco single trimming the Owls lead to 6-3. That would be all the Hornets would get as Harris settled down and closed out the game and the win for William Woods.
 
By the Numbers
10 – The Owls collected 10 hits in the contest against Harris-Stowe
6 – William Woods scored six runs for the victory
4 – The Owls scored their six runs in four innings
4 – WWU had four players collect two or more hits
2 – Ryan Phillips drove in two runs in the win
 
Starting Pitchers Lines
WWU – John Cavness, 8 IP, 8H, 2R (1 ER), 0BB, 2K's
HSSU- Stephen Wells, 5 IP, 9H, 6R (4 ER), 3BB's, 3K's
 
Next Games
The Owls hit the road tomorrow, Saturday, March 5 when they travel to St. Louis, Mo. to face Harris-Stowe State University in a doubleheader. First pitch is set to start at 12 p.m.