CONWAY, Ark. – The homerun was a key part of both offenses on Friday afternoon as the William Woods University baseball team and Central Baptist College split its American Midwest Conference doubleheader. The Owls dropped game one, 9-4, and the Owls rebounded winning game two, 16-3.
 
WWU returns to action on Saturday, March 18th when conclude its three-game set with Central Baptist. First-pitch is set for 12 p.m.
 
Game One
Game Flow
William Woods came out swinging as they started a two-out rally in the top of the first inning. Nolan Aherin started the hit parade with a double to left-center. Ryan Phillips followed with an RBI single to center putting the Owls ahead, 1-0. Tyler Cunningham followed by hitting his third home run of the season. He drove the 1-1 pitch over the right field fence putting WWU ahead, 3-0.
 
Owls starter Ryan Furtney was in a zone to start the contest as he recorded four strikeouts in the first two innings while only allowing two hits. However, the Mustangs got to Furtney in the third inning with one out. With a runner on base, Jalin Lawson hit a two-run home run trimming the Owls lead to one, 3-2. Central Baptist was not done as Santez Richardson followed Lawson's homerun with a solo shot tying the game at 3-3.
 
Central Baptist took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as L'Donta Howard hit a two-run home run putting the Mustangs ahead, 5-3.
 
The Owls trimmed the Mustangs lead down to one, 5-4, in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs and a runner on second, Josh Nicol singled to right field scoring Patrick Dillon from second base.
 
CBC extended its lead to 9-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Mustangs continued to hit the long ball as Richardson hit a three-run home run in the inning and Monterio May collected an RBI single putting the Owls down 9-4.
 
WWU could not get anything going in the top of the seventh inning as they were retired in order and the Owls were defeated 9-4 in game one of the doubleheader.
 
By the Numbers
7 – Owls starter Ryan Furtney struck out seven in the contest
1 – Tyler Cunningham hit one home run in the game
3 – WWU stole three bases in the contest
2 – Tyler Cunningham led the team with two RBIs
9 – The Owls had nine hits in the contest
3 – William Woods scored three runs in the first inning
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Ryan Furtney, 5 IP, 10H, 6R (6ER), 1BBs, 7Ks
CBC – Caulin Cragle, 5 IP, 7H, 3R (3ER), 2BBs, 4Ks
 
Game Two
Game Flow
After a scoreless first two innings, the runs started coming in the third inning. In the top of the third, the Owls scored five runs on four hits and took advantage of two Mustangs errors. In the inning, Nolan Aherin, Tyler Cunningham, Glen DesBouillons and Konrad Kemper all collected an RBI hit in the inning.
 
The Mustangs slowly started to come back in the bottom of the third inning as they got to Owls starter Chase Feucht. With two runners on, Josh Hibbard hit a three-run home run cutting the Owls lead down to two, 5-3.
 
William Woods continued to collect its runs in the top of the fourth inning. WWU scored four runs in the frame by only collecting one hit as they took advantage of three errors by the Mustangs. The Owls offense continued to stay hot as they scored five runs, on two hits in the fifth inning. In the fifth, Nolan Aherin hit a two-run home run and later in the inning, Josh Nicol hit a three-run home run and after four and a half innings of play, the Owls led 14-3.
 
After allowing the three runs in the third inning, Owls starter Feucht settled down and did not allow another run for the rest of the game. Over the fourth and fifth innings, Feucht only allowed the Mustangs to collect one hit.
 
Feucht remained in control as he only allowed a walk to the Mustangs in the bottom of the sixth. For the contest, Feucht kept the bats quiet as he only allowed Central Baptist to four hits in the game. The lone runs the Mustangs were came on three run home run in the third inning.
 
The Owls added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning when Glen DesBouillions hit a home run with one on. WWU did not allow the Mustangs to get back into the game and the Owls won game two, 16-3.
 
By the Numbers
16 – The Owls scored 16 runs in game two of the double header
3 – WWU hit three home runs in the contest
3 – Konrad Kemper led the Owls with three hits in the second game
14 – The Owls collected 14 hits in the game two
4 – Kemper drove in four of the 16 runs for the Owls
4 – Four Owls had two hits or more in the contest
2 – Kemper had two doubles to start the contest
3 – Three Owls had three RBIs each in the contest
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Chase Feucht, 7 IP, 4H, 3R (3ER), 1BBs, 4Ks
CBC – Collin Nord, 3 IP, 7H, 5R (5ER), 2BBs, 3Ks