BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – The William Woods University baseball team split its doubleheader Saturday afternoon against Baker University. The Owls took game one, 6-3, before dropping game two, 6-3, to the Wildcats.
 
With the win for the Owls in game one, Brock Nehls collected his first win as a head coach.
 
WWU returns to action on tomorrow, Sunday, February 12th when they conclude the four-game set against Baker University. First-pitch of the doubleheader is set for 12 p.m.
 
Game One
Game Flow
The Owls wasted little time getting the offense going as they jumped on the Wildcats starter, Lake Johnson. Ryan Phillips led off with a triple and the very next hitter, Patrick Dillon, singled to score Phillips putting the Owls ahead, 1-0. WWU was not done, as Dillon came into score on a Max Taulbee's error. The Owls scored one last run in the first when Nolan Aherin singled home Zach Smith.
 
Baker answered back in the bottom of the inning, and with Taublee on third base, Cody Gregory doubled to left-center, which scored Taublee. That would be all the Wildcats scored in the inning as Ryan Furtney struck out Matt Stuart ending the inning.
 
William Woods offense continued to strike on all cylinders as they collected four more hits and two runs in the top of the second inning. With runners on the corner, Dillon collected his second hit of the contest, as he singled home one putting the Owls ahead, 4-1. WWU scored its second run of the inning on a Tyler Cunningham single and after an inning and a half led the Wildcats, 5-1.
 
With the Owls ahead, 5-1, the pitchers took control of the contest as both pitchers only gave up three more hits until the sixth inning. One hit came in the bottom of the third when Taulbee singled. With Taulbee on third, Marcus Jones hit a sacrifice fly putting Baker down, 5-2. Baker continued to battle and trimmed the lead to two, 5-3, after a Sean Beal RBI single to left field.  
 
WWU added one more run in the top of the seventh inning, as Cunningham doubled to deep right center. With one out, and runners on the corners, Nolan Aherin singled to right which scored one putting the Owls ahead, 6-3.
 
Ryan Furtney, who was making his first start as an Owl, looked to close out the contest quick in the bottom of the seventh as he struck out the first two Wildcat hitters. After a single and a walk put brought the tying run to the plate, Furtney ended the game with a strikeout ending the game and giving the Owls its first win of the season.
 
By the Numbers
6 – WWU opened its doubleheader with six runs
11 – The Owls had 11 hits in the contest
5 – Ryan Furtney struck out five Wildcats in the contest
2 – Patrick Dillon and Nolan Aherin collected two RBI in the contest
2 – Ryan Phillips, Patrick Dillon, Tyler Cunningham, Nolan Aherin all had two hit in game one
2 – WWU drew two walks in game one
3 – William Woods had three stolen bases
2 – The Owls had two extra base hits against the Wildcats in game one
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Ryan Furtney, 7IP, 7H, 3R (3 ER), 1BB, 5K's
Baker – Lake Johnson, 5 IP, 8H, 5R (5 ER), 1BB, 2K's
 
Game Two
Game Flow
The Owls jumped out to a quick start in game two and Ryan Phillips reached on an error and was sacrificed over to second base. He came into score on a double by Tyler Cunningham putting the Owls ahead, 1-0. After a Jalen Poindexter single put runners on the corner, Zach Smith reached on a fielder's choice that scored Cunningham putting the Owls ahead, 2-0.
 
Over the next three innings of play, the Wildcats chipped away at the Owls lead until they took the lead in the bottom of the third. Baker scored one run in each of the first three innings. Wes Summers had two RBI singles in those innings and the Wildcats scored one more on an Owls error and after three innings of play, the Owls trailed 3-2.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Owls tied the game in the top of the fifth inning. With a runner on second and two outs, Cunningham collected his second RBI of the contest as he singled to right-center scoring Phillips, tying the game at 3-3.
 
The Wildcats answered right back in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Baker scored three runs on four hits. Cody Gregory and Matt Stuart drove in the runs for the Wildcats in the inning and after five innings of play the Wildcats led, 6-3.
 
William woods could not get anything going in there at-bats in the sixth or seventh inning as they only collected one hit combined in those innings. The Owls were defeated, 6-3, by the Owls in game two of the doubleheader.
 
By the Numbers
7 – WWU collected seven hit in the contest
2 – The Owls drew two walks in the game
2 – Tyler Cunningham led the Owls with two hits in game two
2 – Cunningham drove in two runs in the contest
6 – The Owls had six players collect a hit in the contest
1 – William Woods had one extra base hit in game two
1 – Ryan Phillips stole one base in the contest
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Chase Feucht, 4.1 IP, 7H, 6R (5 ER), 3BB's, 2K's
Baker – Austin Stendebach, 5 IP, 6H, 3 R (2 ER), 1BB, 3K's