POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – The William Woods University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with College of the Ozarks on Friday afternoon. The Owls dropped game one, 3-2, in extra innings before bouncing back and winning game two, 14-9.
 
Patrick Dillon and Frankie Valle led the Owls with four hits apiece in the double header. Ryan Furtney picked up the win in game two for the Owls. WWU collected 22 hits in the contests, including, two home runs.
 
The Owls and Bobcats conclude its four-game series tomorrow, March 24th with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
 
Game One
Game Flow
WWU struck early in the first game of the doubleheader as they scored in the top of the first inning. With one out, Frankie Valle singled to left. He than stole second base putting himself in scoring position. Valle moved to third on a ground out before scoring on a Nolan Aherin single up the middle.
 
College of the Ozarks looked as if they would take the lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs and two on, JD Payne drew a walk, loading the bases for the Bobcats. Oulton got the next hitter to line out and the Owls held a 1-0 lead.
 
After the first inning, both starters settled in. They did not allow another run until the top of the sixth inning. Oulton and Collan Thrasher combined to only allow five hits over the second, third, fourth and fifth innings of action.
 
The Owls added to its lead in the top of the sixth inning. Valle reached on a Bobcat error and then stole second base for the second time in the contest. On the play, he went to third on another Bobcat error. Tyler Cunningham drove him in on a single to shallow right field putting the Owls ahead 2-0.
 
Leading 2-0 heading to the bottom of the seventh inning, the Owls needed three outs to earn the victory. Oulton got Zac Bolstad to strike out for the first out of the inning. After an error put a runner on, Oulton got a fielder's choice and the Owls needed one more out. However, Jacob Karlson double to right center scoring one. Karlson than came around to score on an Owls error and the game would go to extra innings.
 
In the top of the eighth inning, Brian Granton drew a walk. The next two hitters were retired and then he stole second base. Nolan Aherin drew a walk putting two runners on. Tyler Bracht singled to center and Granton was thrown out trying to score from second.
 
The Bobcats ended the contest in the bottom of the eighth inning. With runners on second and third, Westin Gann singled to center scoring the winning run and the Owls dropped game one, 3-2.
 
By the Numbers
8 – WWU collected eight hits in game two
2 – The Owls scored two runs in the first game of the doubleheader
6 – Six different Owls had a hit
1 – Tyler Cunningham and Nolan Aherin had one RBI each
4 – WWU stole four bases in the contest
7 – Taran Oulton recorded seven strikeouts
2 – Frankie Valle scored both runs for the Owls
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Taran Oulton, 6.2 IP, 7H, 2R (0ER), 2BBs, 7Ks
C of O – Collan Thrasher, 8 IP, 8H, 2R (1ER), 2BBs, 8Ks
 
Game Two
Game Flow
The Owls came out in game two and put the first run on the board in the first inning. Valle tripled to right-center and came into score on a wild pitch. The owls lead did not last long as the Bobcats came back in the bottom of the inning. Dylan Heitz scored two on a triple and he came into score on a Jay Kaufman double.
 
WWU answered back tying the game in the top of the second inning. With two runners on and two outs, Patrick Dillon came into score on a Bobcat error. The Owls scored its second run of the contest on a wild pitch and the game was tied at 2-2.
 
William Woods added to its lead in the top of the third inning. The first two Owls hitters were retired before the Owls loaded the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch. The Owls first run of the inning came into score after Dillon was hit by a pitch. Marquise Doherty cleared the bases when he hit a grand slam. WWU led 8-3 heading to the bottom of the third.
 
College of the Ozarks added a run on an Owls error in the bottom of the inning and heading to the fourth, WWU led 8-4.
 
WWU's offense did not cool off in the fourth inning as they added four more runs. With runners on second an third, Aherin double scoring two and putting the Owls ahead, 10-4. With the bases loaded, Doherty doubled to deep left field and the Owls had a 12-4 lead.
 
The Bobcats scratched a run off the Owls in the bottom of the fourth inning when Heitz hit a sacrifice fly.
 
The Owls offense added two more in the fifth inning. With a 3-0 count, Valle took the next pitch out to center field for a home run. Tyler Cunningham followed with a triple to and he scored on a Aherin single.
 
The game would remain 14-5 in favor of the Owls until the bottom of the seventh inning. College of the Ozarks loaded the bases and Bryce Burtless hit a sacrifice fly scoring one. the next batter Jordan Gentrey followed by hitting the first pitch of his at-bat over the fence for a homerun, putting the Bobcats down 14-9. That would be as close as they would get as the Owls came away with a 14-9 victory.
 
By the Numbers
14 – The Owls scored 14 runs in the second game
14 – WWU pounded out 14 hits
3 – Frankie Valle led the Owls with three hits
3 – Nolan Aherin dorve in three runs
6 – Marquise Doherty drove in six runs for the Owls
5 – The Owls scored in the first five innings
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Ryan Furtney, 5 IP, 10H, 5R (4ER), 2BBs, 4Ks
C of O – Osmud Sindland, 2.2 IP, 1H, 7R (4ER), 2BBs, 4Ks