FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University softball team earned a split with No. 2 Columbia College on Tuesday afternoon. The Owls took game one, 4-3, before falling in the second game of the doubleheader, 7-5.
 
With the split the Owls improve to 21-18 on the season and 7-9 in American Midwest Conference, while Columbia goes to 30-5 and 15-1 in AMC action.
 
William Woods returns to action on Friday, April 14th when they travel to Belleville, Illinois to face Lindenwood-Belleville. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
 
Game One
Game Flow
In game one, the Cougars scored at their first appearance at the plate. The Owls answered back when Amanda Bouchey hit a solo homerun on the bottom of the second.
 
The Cougars would then come back and score two more in the third. Carly Spalding and Theresa DeCosty hit back to back doubles scoring one. DeCosty came into score on a Karli Leeper single. This put the Cougars ahead, 3-1.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Amanda Bouchey would take advantage of a Cougar error to reach base. She advanced to second on a single by Alli Massey. Bouchey came into score off a double by Brailee Schultee, which moved Massey to third. Massey scored on a Lindsey Van Tress single, tying the game at 3-3.
 
Sierra Jacques did not let the Cougars get anything going late in the contest as she got Columbia's first three batters to ground out to second base to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Massey would reach on an error, and Regan Wilde would make an appearance to pinch runner. After two straight outs, Olivia Imhoff reached on a Cougars error, which scored Wilde putting the Owls ahead, 4-3.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Cougars would be right on Owls tails. After a leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt, the Cougars had the tying run on second base. A groundout by Allyson Metz moved the runner to third base. With the tying run 60 feet away, Jacques got Karli Leeper to strikeout and end the game and the Owls took game one, 4-3.
 
By the Numbers
4 – WWU scored four runs in the contest to earn the victory
7 – William Woods collected seven hits in the contest
2 – Brailee Schulte led the Owls with two hits
3 – Three different Owls had an RBI in the contest
1 – Amanda Bouchey hit one homerun in the contest
2 – Sierra Jacques struck out two Cougars in the contest
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Sierra Jacques, 7 IP, 7H, 3R (2ER), 3BBs, 2Ks
CC – Paxton Welch, 6 IP, 7H, 4R (2ER), 1BBs, 5Ks
 
Game Two
Game Flow
Game two would go scoreless for the first two and a half innings before the Owls would get a rally started in the bottom of the third. Lindsay Van Tress would spark the offense with a single up the middle and Imhoff would follow her with a single of her own. The Owls would then take advantage of Cougar mishaps, that would lead to Van Tress scoring. With runners on second and third, Ari Arnold would rip a double, scoring both Imhoff as well as Campbell, putting the Owls up 3-0.
 
The game would then go scoreless due to a pitcher's duel, neither starter giving up crucial hits. It was not until the top of the sixth that the Cougars offense came to life. DeCosty singled up the middle putting one on. With one out and DeCosty on first, Allyson Metz hit a two-run home run cutting the Owls lead down to one, 3-2.  
 
The Owls would attempt to gather insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With runners on first and second, the Owls could not get them over and in and the Owls took a 3-2 lead into the top of the seventh inning.
 
The Cougars would dial in Waskow, as they hit two singles and two doubles before Madison Ausfahl would come in for relief. Natalie Dummit would hit a triple, making the score 7-3 going into the bottom of the seventh.
 
Beth Begeman would spark the Owls offense with a pinch hit single. Ari Arnold followed with a single putting runners on first and second. Hillary Hentges would also make an appearance at the plate, hitting a single of her own loading the bases for the Owls. Massey would single to center field and the Owls would score two runs taking the Cougars lead down to 7-5. With the tying run on base the Owls could not get the run across and dropped game two, 7-5.
 
By the Numbers
10 – WWU collected 10 hits in the second game of the doubleheader
5 – William Woods scored five runs in game two
3 – The Owls committed three errors in the second game
4 – Ari Arnold went four-for-four in the contest
2 – Ari Arnold and Alli Massey drove home two runs each in the contest
3 – WWU drew three walks in the contest
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Allison Waskow, 6.2 IP, 9H, 7R (2ER), 2BBs, 4Ks
CC – Lauren McCroskie, 7 IP, 10H, 5R (4ER), 3BBs, 3Ks