FAYETTE, Mo. – The William Woods University baseball team led early in both games against No. 22 Central Methodist University but could not hang on for the wins as they were swept by CMU on Tuesday evening. The Eagles took game one, 7-6, and game two, 13-6, over the Owls.
 
The Owls held a lead of 6-1 and 6-0 in both games but were outscored 19-1 in the from the fourth inning on combined in the doubleheader.
 
The Owls return to action on Friday, April 20th when they host Harris-Stowe State University in a doubleheader in AMC action. First-pitch is set for 4 p.m. On Saturday April 21st, prior to the contest, the Owls will honor its senior class.
 
Game One
Game Flow
The Owls came right out the gate in the first inning when Frankie Valle led off with a single and Brian Granton reached on a bunt for a hit. Nolan Aherin after reaching on a fielder's choice forcing Valle out and third for the first out of the inning. Tyler Cunningham then stepped up to the plate and smashed a three-run homerun, putting the Owls ahead 3-0.
 
The second inning was also good for the Owls when Patrick Dillon hit a single and was later advanced to second off a bunt from Tyler Bracht. Frankie Valle then hit a double scoring Dillon, growing the Owls lead to 4-0. After a few Eagles mishaps, Valle made his way around the bases to score, extending the Owls lead to 5-0.
 
The Eagles answered back in the bottom of the second when they started to chip away at the Owls lead. Fernando Villegas hit a solo home run putting the Eagles down 5-1.
 
The Owls and Eagles would be scoreless in the third inning and the Owls would be the ones to score in the top of the fourth when Dillon reached on a walk. Again, Bracht advanced Dillon to second on a sac bunt. Valle came up again and collected another RBI when he hit a single to score Dillon, putting the Owls ahead, 6-1.
 
The Eagles began to chip away at the Owls lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when they scored another two runs to bring the score to 6-3. The Owls could not string any hits together as they went scoreless for the rest of the game while the Eagles scored another run in the bottom of the fifth and the sixth, trimming the Owls lead down to one, 6-5.
 
The Owls came into the seventh inning when Valle hit a leadoff double and was later advanced to third on a ground out. After a strike out, Cunningham reached on a walk and the Owls had runners on first and third, with two outs, but Valle was picked off to end the inning.
 
The Eagles utilized their last at bat to score two more runs. Taking advantage of walks, the Eagles had the bases loaded with one out in the inning. Logan Haring came up big for Central Methodist as he hit a double scoring the tying and winning run and the owls were defeated, 7-6.
 
By the Numbers
3 – The Owls had three extra base hits in the first game of the doubleheader
1 – Tyler Cunningham hit one home run in the contest
6 – WWU scored six runs in game one
7 – The Owls had seven hits in the first game
4 – Frankie Valle had four hits to lead the Owls
4 – Four different Owls collected a hit
3 – Tyler Cunningham drove home three runs
2 – Frankie Valle drove home two runs
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Tristan Steffens, 4.1 IP, 5H, 4R (1ER), 0BBs, 4Ks
CMU – Edward Nunez-Beltre, 3.1 IP, 6H, 6R (5ER), 2BBs, 1K
 
Game Two
Game Flow
The Owls would be the first to score in the second inning when Zach Smith hit a leadoff single and was later advanced by a single by Tyler Bracht. Valle came up and continued to have a day has he hit a triple to score both Smith and Bracht putting the Owls ahead 2-0. Valle later scored when Granton got in a rundown trying to steal second base. On the play, Valle came into score putting the Owls ahead, 3-0.
 
Cunningham hit a leadoff double in the top of the third and Dillon reached on a walk putting two runners on. With runners on first and third, Glen DesBouillons reached on an error on his bunt and Cunningham scored putting the Owls ahead 4-0. Josh Nicol then came up and bunted for a squeeze and scored Dillon and on the play, DesBouillons scored on a wild throw and WWU led 6-0.  
 
The Eagles cut the Owl lead down to two when they scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth, 6-4. The Owls found themselves even further behind the Eagles in the bottom of the fifth after they scored three more runs, taking its first lead of the game at 7-6.
 
The Owls went scoreless after the fourth inning and found themselves in a hole they were not able to work out of after the Eagles scored an additional six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Owls were defeated 13-6.
 
By the Numbers
6 – WWU scored six runs in game two
6 – The Owls collected six hits as a team
13 – The Eagles scored 13 unanswered runs in the contest
2 – Frankie Valle led the Owls with two RBIs
6 – Six different Owls had a hit in game two
2 – WWU had two extra base hits
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Collin Kessler, 4 IP, 7H, 4R (4ER), 1BBs, 2Ks
CMU – Tyler Hull, 2 IP, 4H, 6R (3ER), 4BBs, 2Ks