BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – The William Woods University baseball team dropped both games of the doubleheader against Blue Mountain College on Saturday afternoon. The Toppers beat the Owls, 2-0, in game one, and 5-4, in game two.
 
Over the final two games of the series, the Toppers outhit the Owls 13-11. WWU struggled at the plate as they were held to a .216 batting average over the final two games of the series. Zach Smith and Tyler Bracht led the Owls with two hits on the day.
 
The Owls return to action Saturday, February 10^th when they host Baker University. First-pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m. This will be the Owls home opener.  
 
Game One
Game Flow
In the third game of the series, the Owls had two hits in the second inning. With runners on the corners and two outs, the Owls could not get a run across the plate as the next hitter was retired ending the inning.
 
In the same inning, the Toppers offense was able to string their hits together after two outs. Latalo Newson was hit by pitch and Nolan Stevens hit a single to have runners on first and second. Back to back singles by Zach Poteete and Miciah Heard would score one, putting the Toppers ahead, 1-0.
 
Blue Mountain would add another run in the bottom of the fourth, putting the Owls down by two. The Owls threatened in the fifth when Brian Granton reached on a walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Nolan Aherin would also reach on a walk but both runners would be stranded.
 
WWU could not get anything going in the sixth or seventh innings and would drop game one of the doubleheader, 2-0.
 
By the Numbers
5 – WWU had five hits in the first game
0 – The Owls could not get a run across the plate in game one
1 – Tyler Cunningham had one double in the contest
5 – Taran Oulton made his first start of the season and struck out five
5 – Five different Owls had a hit in the contest
4 – WWU drew four walks in the contest
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Taran Oulton, 6 IP, 7H, 2R (2ER), 1BBs, 5Ks
BMC – Josh Letson, 5.1 IP, 5H, 0R (0ER), 4BBs, 4Ks
 
Game Two
Game Flow
The Owls came out in the first inning and put two runners on after Nolan Aherin hit a single and Tyler Cunningham reached on an error. With Owls on first and second, Zach Smith came up and hit a single scoring Aherin putting the Owls ahead, 1-0.
 
The Toppers answered back in the bottom of the first inning. After a single and an error put two runners on. With runners on second and third, Austin Looker hit a sac fly scoring one. The next batter hit an RBI single and Xen Penny doubled scoring another and the Owls trailed 3-1 after one inning of play.  
 
In the top of the second, Tyler Bracht hit a leadoff single and Jordan Smith joined him on the bases after earning a walk. After a bunt attempted failed to advance the runners, Tyler Bracht hit into a fielders' choice putting runners on the corners. However, they would be stranded on the bases.
 
The Toppers added another insurance run in the bottom of the second, putting the Owls down 4-1.
 
It would not be until the top of the fourth when the Owls scored again. Bracht reached on a Toppers error and Jordan Smith singled to right field, scoring Bracht and trimming the lead down to 4-2.
 
Cameron Honeycutt leadoff the bottom of the fourth for the Toppers with a single and would advance to third due to an Owl error. Poteete came up and hit a single scoring Honeycutt and extending the lead to 5-2.
 
The fifth inning would come up dry for both teams. Down three, the Owls offense sparked in the sixth inning when Smith hit a single. Patrick Dillon came in to pinch run for Smith and advanced to second, collecting a stolen base. Bracht and Mason Gipe both reached on a walk. The bases were loaded for Marquise Doherty who came in clutch with a double scoring Dillon and Bracht putting the Owls down 5-4.
 
The Owls threatened in the seventh when Cunningham's patience earned a walk and Frankie Valle was hit by pitch. With two outs and runners on first and second, Glen Desbouillions was hit by a pitch and loaded the bases. With the tying run 90 feet away, the Owls could not find away to get the run across and were defeated 5-4.
 
By the Numbers
8 – Jeremy Hidalgo came in out of the bullpen for the Owls and recorded eight strikeouts
6 – WWU had six hits in the game two
4 – The Owls scratched across four runs in the contest
4 – William Woods drew four walks in the second game
2 – Marquise Doherty led the Owls with two RBIs
2 – Zach Smith collected two hits in the game
1 – Doherty had one double in the game
2 – WWU stole two bases in the contest
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Collin Kessler, 1 IP, 3H, 4R (0ER), 1BBs, 0Ks
BMC – Zach Stacy, 4 IP, 4H, 2R (1ER), 1BBs, 5Ks