FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University baseball team claimed its twentieth win of the season with a 5-1 victory over Hannibal-LaGrange University on Sunday afternoon.
 
Brian Granton led the Owls going 3-for-3 on the day with two RBIs. Owls starter, Tristan Steffens went five innings and only allowed two hits to the Trojans.
 
WWU returns to action on Friday, March 23 when they travel to Point Lookout, Missouri to face College of the Ozarks in non-conference action. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.  
 
Game Flow
Making his third start of the season of the season, Tristian Steffens came out and only allowed one hit in the first inning. The Owls came out in the bottom of the first inning when the offense came and got on the board.
 
Brian Granton singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He scored when Tyler Cunningham doubled to left center putting the Owls ahead, 1-0. Cunningham moved to third on a Trojan pass ball and scored on a Nolan Aherin sacrifice fly. WWU lead 2-0 after the first inning of play.
 
William Woods extended its lead in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, the Owls offense started clicking as Trevor Garriott singled. He stole second base and Jordan Smith followed drawing a walk putting two on. Both runners came into score on a Granton double to left center and WWU led 4-0.
 
After the second inning, the pitchers started dealing but the Owls grew its lead to 5-0 in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Jordan Smith reached on a bunt single. He went to second on a sac bunt and scored on a Frankie Valle double. 
 
With one out in the top of the sixth inning the Trojans offense looked to get things going. Nick Diaz De Leon singled up the middle, being the first Trojan to reach after eight were retired in arrow. Seth Brown followed with a double to left field scoring the Trojans first run of the contest and cutting the Owls lead down to 5-1.
 
After allowing the Trojans to score in the sixth, Collin Kessler recorded an eight pitch seventh inning as he got a strikeout, ground out and a pop out to end the inning. The Trojans got to Kessler in the top of the eighth inning when Justin Bote got a hit and Lane Thebeau followed with a hit. Kessler got the next hitter to ground out in a fielder's choice, getting the lead runner out. Kessler followed by getting Seth Brown to ground into a double play ending the inning.
 
The Owls threatened in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs. Patrick Dillon singled and went to third on a Zach Smith single. Smith stole second base, but the runners were left stranded on base.
 
In the ninth inning, the Owls retired the Trojans in order and WWU came away with a 5-1 victory. With the win the Owls improve to 20-8 on the season.
 
By the Numbers
5 – WWU scored five runs in the contest
10 – William Woods recorded 10 hits in the game
5 – Tristan Steffens recorded five strikeouts in the game
2 – Brian Granton led the Owls with two RBIs
7 – Seven different Owls collected a hit
3 – Brian Granton led the Owls with three hits
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Tristan Steffens, 5 IP, 2H, 0R (0ER), 1BBs, 5Ks
HLGU – VJ Vinson, 7.2 IP, 10H, 5R (5ER), 1BBs, 3Ks