WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. – The William Woods University baseball team split its American Midwest Conference doubleheader with Williams Baptist College on Thursday afternoon. The Owls took game one, 5-1, before falling in game two, 13-3, in seven innings.
 
The Owls and Eagles return to action on Friday, April 6th when they conclude its three-game set. WWU and WBC meet in a nine-inning contest starting at 10 a.m.
 
Game One
Game Flow
With one out in the first inning, Tyler Cunningham came up to the plate and had an 2-0 count. On the next pitch, he was hit by the pitch putting the first runner on for the Owls in the contest. After a stolen base and strikeout, Cunningham stood at second with two outs. Connor Poulson doubled, which scored Cunningham putting the Owls ahead, 1-0.
 
It looked as if the Eagles would get a run back in bottom of the first inning. Owls starter, Taran Oulton hit the first batter of the game and then threw two wild pitches to the second batter moving Denny Elligson to third base. Kagen Brown hit into a fields choice and Cunningham fielded the ball and threw home getting the out at home. Oulton got the next two batters to ground out and WWU held a 1-0 lead.
 
The Owls grew its lead in the top of the third inning. With one out, Frankie Valle singled to left field. He stole second base as Cunningham struck out for the second out of the inning and went to third on an Eagles error. Nolan Aherin drove Valle in with a double to right center putting the Owls ahead 2-0.
 
Oulton continued to keep the Eagles bats quiet and keep the Owls ahead 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth inning. In the fifth, Trent Jones reached on an Owls error. He went to second when Jose Rojas was hit by a pitched. Williams Baptist scored its first run on an Owls error and the lead was down to one, 2-1.
 
Williams Baptist threatened in the bottom of the sixth. After two straight ground outs to start the inning, Pedro Lopez doubled to left field. Jeremiah Nance reached on a walk putting two one. However, Oulton settled down and got Layne Ditto to ground out ending the inning.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, the Owls were looking for a few insurance runs. Jordan Smith walked to get the Owls started. After an out, Valle reached on a fielder's choice, where Smith was safe at second. Cunningham followed with a single, which loaded the bases with one out. WWU added one on a sacrifice fly to left field by Aherin putting the Owls ahead, 3-1. Glen DesBouillons added another run for the Owls with a single to left. WWU added a third run in the inning off a double steal and after six and a half, WWU led 5-1.
 
Oulton did not let the Eagles get anything going in the bottom of the inning until there were two outs. He started the inning off with a strike out. He then got Rojas to pop out to shallow center field for the second out of the inning. Denny Elligson doubled to left and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He would be left on third base as Oulton got Brown to ground out ending the game. WWU won game one, 5-1.
 
By the Numbers
5 – The Owls scored five runs in game one
7 – WWU had seven hits as a team
2 – William Woods had two doubles
5 – The Owls stole five bases in the game
2 – Nolan Aherin had two RBIs in the game
6 – Six different Owls had a hit in the win
1 – Taran Oulton only allowed one run in the game
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Taran Oulton, 7 IP, 4H, 1R (0ER), 1BBs, 4Ks
WBC – Ethan Roberts, 6 IP, 5H, 2R (2ER), 1BBs, 7Ks
 
Game Two
Game Flow
After a scoreless inning and a half, the Eagles got to the Owls starter, Dany Paradis-Giroux in the bottom of the second. WBC scored four runs on four hits and took advantage of one Owls error. In the inning, Hayden Smith, Jose Rojas, and Pedro Lopez all collected RBI hits.
 
The Owls answered back for two in the top of the third inning. With runners on the corners, Tyler Bracht reached on a single that scored one for the Owls. Later in the inning, Frankie Valle hit a sacrifice fly scoring the second run of the inning. WWU trailed 4-2 going to the bottom of the third.
 
The Eagles bats stayed hot as Denny Elligson welcomed Owls reliever Tristian Steffens with a home run putting the Eagles ahead 5-2. The lead grew to 7-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Williams Baptists Lopez and Colton Dunbar had the RBI hits in the inning.
 
WWU's bats stayed quiet in the contests and the Eagles bats remained hot. In the bottom of the fifth, WBC scored five runs on two hits and took advantage of two Owls errors. Elligson and Dunbar continued to rack up RBIs as they each added one in the inning.
 
The Eagles added one more in the bottom of the sixth and lead the Owls 13-2 after Hayden Smith scored after a hit by pitch.
 
William Woods came up looking to extend the game as they needed two runs to keep the game alive. The first two hitters struck out before Tyler Cunningham singled. Aherin doubled to left field scoring Cunningham and the Owls trailed 13-3. However, the Owls could not get another run across to the plate and the Owls dropped game two, 13-3.
 
By the Numbers
3 – WWU scored three runs in game two
9 – WWU had nine hits in game two
7 – The Owls committed seven errors in the contest
2 – Patrick Dillon and Tyler Cunningham led the Owls with two hits apiece
7 – The Owls pitching staff combined for seven strike outs
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Dany Paradis-Giroux, 2IP, 6H, 4R (4ER), 1BBs, 2Ks
WBC – Rustin Hays, 5IP, 5H, 2R (2ER), 1BBs, 4Ks