EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The William Woods University baseball team got back into the win column on Saturday afternoon, as the Owls defeated Williams Baptist College, 4-3. The win improves the Owls to 17-19 on the season and 11-7 in the AMC.
 
Ryan Phillips led the Owls as he pitched his fifth complete game of the season as he picked up his seventh win of the season. Phillips struck out 11 in the contest and allowed nine hits.
 
WWU returns to action on Tuesday, April 4th when they host Morthland College in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
 
Game Flow
After a scoreless top of the first inning, the Owls opened the scoring in the bottom of the inning. With two runners on and two outs, Glen DesBouillons struck out but reached on a dropped third strike. Josh Nicol drew a walk that scored one. WWU scored two more on a single by Jansen Smith and the Owls led 3-0 after the first inning.
 
William Woods added to its lead in the third inning. With a runner on second, Nicol hit into a fielder's choice scoring one and extending the Owls lead to 4-0. WWU looked to extend the lead in the inning as the Owls had the bases loaded with two outs. WWU could not get another run across and the Owls led 4-0 after three innings.
 
Ryan Phillips did not let the Eagles get anything going through the first five innings of the contest as they only collected four hits through the first five innings of the contest. Williams Baptist scored its first run of the game in the sixth inning when they laid down a squeeze play scoring one.
 
The score remained 4-1 in favor of the Owls until the top of the eighth inning. Phillips hit the first batter of the contest and he came around to score on a Layne Ditto double. After a walk, Cam Smith singled scoring one and the Owls lead was down to one, 4-3. Phillips got out of the inning by striking out Hayden Winberry and getting Ryan Cupp to ground out to first.
 
The Eagles kept the Owls off the board in the bottom of the eighth inning and WWU held a 4-3 lead going to the ninth. In the ninth, the Eagles could not get anything going against Phillips as he struck out the side and the Owls came away with a 4-3 victory.
 
By the Numbers
10 – WWU drew ten walks off Eagles pitching
4 – The Owls scored four runs in the contest
6 – William Woods collected six hits in the game
11 – Ryan Phillips struck out 11 batters against the Eagles
2 – Ryan Phillips led the Owls with two hits
2 – Josh Nicol and Jansen Smith had two RBIs in the contest
5 – Five different Owls at a hit in the win
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Ryan Phillips, 9 IP, 9H, 3R (3ER), 1BBs, 11Ks
WBC – Jarrett Westmoreland, 3 IP, 4H, 4R (1 ER), 6BBs, 3Ks