COLUMBIA, Mo. – For the first time since 2012, the William Woods University softball team swept the Cougars of Columbia College. The Owls came away with a 4-2 victory in game one and a 4-3 victory in game two to earn the sweep on Columbia College's senior day.
 
WWU returns to action on Thursday, April 26th when they host Park University in an AMC doubleheader. First-pitch is set for 2 p.m.
 
Game One
Game Flow
The Owls came out swinging in the first inning to take the early lead. With one out, Emma Walker hit a double and would score right after when Emily Robinett hit a single putting the Owls ahead, 1-0.
 
The Cougars threatened in the bottom of the first when they managed to put runners on first and second but could not push one past home plate. The Owls and Cougars would go scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when the Cougars tied it up after two outs Dakota Newton hit a double to score Rachel Sullivan tying the game at 1-1.
 
The sixth inning was explosive for both teams as Emma Walker took the first pitch she saw of her at-bat and smacked a homerun putting the Owls ahead 2-1.
 
The Cougars answered back when Natalie Dummitt hit a double and later scored on a wild pitch that tied the game at 2-2. Madison Ausfahl came in in relief of Bre Logan and got two strikeouts and a ground out to end the threat in the inning.
 
Ausfahl continued to keep the Cougars bats quiet in the contest as both teams had opportunities to win the game in the ninth but the Owls left the bases loaded and the Cougars left two stranded on base.
 
The game stayed tied and continued into extra innings and would use the international tie breaker in the tenth inning. Alli Massey started on second base and Devyn Burton bunted and reached second on an error, that scored Massey, putting the Owls ahead, 3-2. Jessica Bradfisch came in to run for Burton and a single by Bri Devellano scored Bradfisch, extending the lead to 4-2.
 
In the bottom of the tenth inning, the Cougars had two runners on base before Ausfahl strike out Olivia Denslow. The next hitter grounded into a fielder's choice for the second out of the game. After a walk loaded the bases, Ausfahl got Dakota Newton to fly out to end the game and giving the Owls a 4-2 victory.
 
By the Numbers
10 – The Owls and Cougars played a ten inning first game of the doubleheader
11 – WWU collected 11 hits in the first game of the doubleheader
4 – William Woods scored four runs against the 15th ranked Cougars
3 – Emma Walker led the Owls with three hits
3 – WWU had three doubles in the game
1 – Emma Walker hit one home run in the game
6 – The Owls pitching staff limited the Cougars to six hits in the game
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Bre Logan, 5 IP, 5H, 1R (1ER), 6BBs, 0Ks
CC – Lexi Dickerson, 6.1 IP, 8H, 2R (2ER), 2BBs, 4Ks
 
Game Two
Game Flow
The Owls continued to hit in game two. With one out, Emma Walker took the 1-2 pitch and hit a homerun, second one for her on the day, putting the Owls ahead, 1-0.
 
The Cougars added a bomb of their own as Molly Carter hit a homerun of her own to tie the game at one, in the bottom of the first inning.
 
William Woods looked as if they would regain the lead in the top of the second inning. With two outs, the Owls had two runners on and then Ari Arnold reached on an error loading the bases. However, the runners would be stranded as the next Owl was retired.
 
Columbia looked as if they would take its first lead of the game in the bottom of the second. After Allison Waskow retired the first two batters, the Cougars came up with three straight singles, loading the bases. Waskow then settled down had got Rachel Sullivan to pop out to end the inning.
 
The Owls extended their lead to 2-1 in the top of the third. Emily Robinett led off with a walk and wento to third on a Cougar error. Celeste Sermeno then singled, which scored Robinett putting the Owls ahead 2-1. The Owls had runners on first and third with no outs but could not get another urn across the plate.
 
The Owls and the Cougars would not score again until the fifth inning when the Owls grabbed two more runs. Alli Massey collected a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a Cougar error. Amanda Bouchey came up and doubled to score Massey and Devellano also hit a double to score Bouchey growing the Owls lead to 4-1.
 
The Cougars answered back as they chipped away at the Owls lead by scoring two runs to cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Cougars scored two runs on an Owls error.
 
The Owls defense was able to keep the Cougars off the base paths for the remainder of the game and would collect the sweep on the day taking game two, 4-3, earning the first sweep of the Cougars since 2012.
 
By the Numbers
7 – The Owls drew seven walks in game two
4 – Four was the Owls number today as they scored four in the win of game two
5 – The Owls collected five hits in the contest
1 – Emma Walker hit one home run in the game
5 – Five different Owls had a hit in the game
4 – Four different Owls had an RBI in the contest
3 – WWU had three extra base hits in game two
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Allison Waskow, 7IP, 6H, 3R (3ER), 1BBs, 2Ks
CC – Kaitlyn Nottelmann, 7IP, 5H, 4R (4ER), 7BBs, 6Ks