FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University baseball team took two from visiting Baker University on Thursday afternoon in the Owls home opener. The Owls took game one, 4-2, and game two, 5-2, earning the sweep.
 
Leading the Owls was Patrick Dillon who was 3-for-5 on the day drew one walk and drove in four runs in the contest. Taran Oulton and Dany Paradis-Grioux picked up the wins for the Owls. Four Owls had two or more hits in the doubleheader.
 
The Owls return to action on Saturday, February 17th when they travel to Joplin, Missouri to face William Penn (Iowa) at 1 p.m. and Grand View (Iowa) at 6 p.m.
 
Game One
Game Flow
The Owls defense kept the Wildcats bats quiet over the first couple of innings of game one. During the stretch, the Owls put two runners on in the first but could not score. In the bottom of the second inning, the Owls had runners on second and third and could not get a run in and the game was scoreless after two innings.
 
Baker threated in the top of the fourth inning. Matt Stuart led off with a single to center and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He went to third on an infield single putting runner on the corners with two outs. After a walk, Baker had the Wildcats had the bases loaded before Taran Oulton got a fly out to end the inning.
 
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning. Frankie Valle led off with a walk and Tyler Cunningham doubled, however Valle was thrown out at the plate and Cunningham advanced to third. He came into score on a wild pitch. Following the wild pitch, Glen DesBouillons walked, stole second, and scored on a double by Nolan Aherin. After five innings WWU led 2-0.
 
Baker came back to score two in the top of the sixth inning. The Wildcats took advantage of an Owl miscue and scored two runs tying the game at 2-2.
 
WWU answered right back in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two on, Cunningham doubled to deep right field scoring two, putting the Owls ahead, 4-2.
 
Jeremy Hildalgo relieved Oulton in the seventh and with one out, Cooper Karlin singled putting a runner on base. Hildalgo struck out the next two hitters and the Owls won, 4-2, in game one of the doubleheader.
 
By the Numbers
4 – WWU scored four wins in the win over Baker
6 – The Owls had six hits in the first game of the doubleheader
2 – Tyler Cunningham drove in two runs
2 – Cunningham led the Owls with two hits in the game
5 – WWU had five different players collect a hit
8 – The Owls recorded eight strike outs in the contest
6 – Taran Oulton struck out six in six innings
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Taran Oulton, 6 IP, 7H, 2R (0ER), 1BBs, 6Ks
Baker – David Tudhope, 2 IP, 2H, 0R (0ER), 2BBs, 0K
 
Game Two
Game Flow
Baker and William Woods were locked into a pitcher's duel over the first three innings of the second game of the doubleheader as neither team had a hit until the fourth inning of the contest. In the fourth inning of the contest, Baker took advantage of an Owls error. With two on, Kenny Delaquila doubled to right scoring two. The next two hitters were retired, and the Wildcats led 2-0.
 
William Woods answered back in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Noaln Aherin singled. Tyler Bracht followed with a single, advancing Aherin to third and Bracht went to second on the throw to third. Patrick Dillon came up and drove in two on a single tying the game at 2-2.
 
WWU looked as if they would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Jordan Smith bunted for a hit. Josh Nicol followed with a single up the middle two runners on. William Woods had two runners in scoring position but could not get a run in and the game remained tied.
 
The Owls took advantage of walks and errors by the Wildcats in the bottom of the sixth inning. Cunningham led off with a walk and stole second base. Aherin reached on an error moving Cunningham to third. After another error loaded the bases for the Owls with one out. Dillon came up clutch again with a single up the middle scoring took putting the Owls ahead, 4-2. Connor Poulson followed with a ground out that score another urn for the Owls growing its lead to 5-2 over the Wildcats.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, Bailey Pattin flew out for the first out of the inning. After an error and strike out, Karlin reached on a walk putting two runners on. Hidalgo relieved Paradis-Giroux and he got the next batter out on a fly out ending the game and the Owls won, 5-2, earning the sweep.
 
By the Numbers
5 – WWU scored five runs in game two of the doubleheader
9 – WWU combined for nine strikeouts in the game
4 – Patrick Dillon drove in four of the five runs for WWU
2 – Dillon led the Owls with two hits in the second game
5 – Five different Owls collected at least one hit
1 – Connor Poulson collected one RBI in the contest
4 – The Owls stole four bases in game two
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Noah Foreman, 4 IP, 2H, 2R (1ER), 3BBs, 6Ks
Baker – Will Edwards, 2 IP, 0H, 0R (0ER), 1BBs, 4Ks