FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University snapped its three-game losing streak with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Harris-Stowe State University on Friday evening. The Owls took game one, 3-2, and game two, 6-0.
 
With the doubleheader sweep, the Owls improve to 29-18 on the season and 17-9 in the AMC. The 29 wins is the most for the Owls in a single season since 2015.
 
The Owls pitching staff held the Hornets to a .186 batting average on the day and limited them to 11 hits over the two games. WWU's game two starter, Dany Paradis-Giroux, pitched a complete game three hitter against the Hornets.
 
The Owls and Hornets close out its three-game set against each other tomorrow, Saturday, April 21st. The contest will be a nine-inning contest starting at 4 p.m. at Owl Field. Prior to the game, the Owls will honor its seniors.
 
Game One
Game Flow
In the top of the first inning, it looked like the Hornets would get to Owls starter, Taran Oulton. Eddie McDaniels led off with a single and Kenny Lara walked putting two on. After a strikeout, Leobardo Saldivar Jr. singled looking the bases for the Hornets. However, Oulton settled down and struck out the next two ending the inning.
 
The Hornets had another threat going in the top of the second inning. With one out and one on. Kyel Alexander singled and McDaniels followed with a single loading the bases. Again, Oulton got out of the jam as he got Lara to ground into an inning ending double play.
 
WWU broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, it looked as if the inning would come to an end as Zach Smith struck out, but it was a dropped third strike and he reached on a Hornets error. Josh Nicol made Harris-Stowe pay as he took his 1-2 pitch and over the left field fence for a two-run home run putting the Owls ahead, 2-0.
 
Harris-Stowe cut the lead in half in the top of the third inning. With two outs and Cole Danielson on second base, Tony Montano singled to right scoring one and cutting the Owls lead down to one, 2-1.
 
The game remained 2-1 in favor of the Owls until the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Montano tripled to left center. He came into score on a Pernell Roberts Jr. single tying the game at 2-2.
 
The game did not remain tied for long as the Owls answered back in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Nolan Aherin singled getting the Owls started. After a strikeout, Aherin was still on first. Patrick Dillon delivered a double to deep left field that scored Aherin putting the Owls ahead, 3-2.
 
Oultan came out after six solid innings of work and Jeremy Hidalgo came into close out the game. After a fly out, Hidalgo gave up a single to Lara. He got the next batter to fly out putting the Hornets down to its final out. The next hitter reached on an Owls error and the Hornets had two runners on with two outs. Colton Anderson came up and hit a little blooper that looked as if it was going to fall in for a hit but Zach Smith made an over the shoulder catch ending the game and giving the Owls a 3-2 win.
 
By the Numbers
3 – WWU scored three runs to score the win
6 – The Owls mustered six hits in the game
2 – Josh Nicol hit a two-run home run in the contests
6 – Taran Oulton recorded six strikeouts
2 – Josh Nicol drove in two runs in the game
4 – Four different Owls had a hit
2 – Nolan Aherin and Patrick Dillon led the Owls with two hits each
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Taran Oulton, 6IP, 7H, 2R (2ER), 3BBs, 6Ks
HSSU – Tanner Disibio, 6IP, 6H, 3R (1ER), 2BBs, 5Ks
 
Game Two
Game Flow
Game two belonged to the pitchers to start the game as neither pitcher led anyone get anything going over the first two innings of the game. Dany Paradis-Giroux shut down the Hornets in order in the third and then the Owls bats came to life.
 
With the bases loaded and two outs, Tyler Cunningham collected two of his three RBIs in the contest with a single to right center field. On the play, Nolan Aherin advanced to third. With runners on the corner, Cunningham broke for second, he then got into a run down that allowed Aherin to score before he was tagged out. WWU led 3-0 after three innings of play.
 
After the Owls took the lead, Paradis-Giroux came out dealing again. He allowed one hit in the top of the fourth, but the Hornets could not get anything going.
 
WWU tried to add to its lead in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, the Owls had back to back singles putting runners on first and second. Both runners advanced on a ground out and the Owls had runners on second and third with two outs. However, they would be stranded on base.
 
Paradis-Giroux did not let the Hornets to collect a hit in the fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth inning as they were sat down in order in those frames.
 
The Owls added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two runners on, Cunningham doubled to left field scoring one and putting the Owls ahead, 4-0. With the infield playing in, Dillon hit a ground ball that the Hornets shortstop made a diving stop on, but it was enough to score Aherin growing the Owls lead to 5-0.
 
The Owls added its last run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Tyler Bracht reached on a fielder's choice and then stole second base. He came into score on a Frankie Valle single extending the Owls lead to 6-0.
 
Paradis-Giroux ran into a little trouble in the top of the ninth inning. The Hornets got its first two hitter on with an error and a single putting two on. He then settled down striking out Lara. After the strikeout, both runners advanced on a base on defensive indifferences. Paradis-Giroux finished the game by striking out Cole Danielson and Leobardo Saldivar Jr. and leaving two Hornets stranded on base. WWU came away with a 6-0 victory.
 
By the Numbers
8 – Dany Paradis-Giroux struck out eight in the game
3 – Paradis-Giroux only allowed the Hornets to three hits in the game
11 – WWU collected 11 hits in game two
6 – William Woods scored six runs in the second game of the doubleheader
9 – Nine different Owls collected a hit in the contest
2 – Frankie Valle and Tyler Cunningham led the Owls with two hits apiece
3 – Cunningham led the Owls with three RBIs in the game
29 – With the sweep, the Owls have won 29 games on the season, the most since 2015
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Dany Paradis-Giroux, 9 IP, 3H, 0R (0ER), 0BBs, 8Ks
HSSU – Tyler Boles, 6 IP, 9H, 6R (3ER), 2BBs, 2Ks