KANSAS CITY, Mo. –The William Woods University baseball team split with Park University for their first conference win Monday afternoon. The Owls dropped game one 7-3 to the Pirates, but bounced back for a 9-5 game two win. The Owls are now 1-10 in conference play with a 6-16-1 overall mark. 
 
The Owls will conclude the three-game series with Park at home on April 2 with a nine-inning game starting at 4 p.m.
 
Next up for the Owls is a conference series vs. Lindenwood-Belleville starting on Saturday, March 16. The Owls play a doubleheader in their home-opener on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
 
Game One
The Owls scored early in game one with a two out RBI single to left field by Tyler Bracht to score Marquise Doherty, but Park tied the game in the bottom of the second with a lead-off home run. 
 
Tim Redford led off the top of the fourth with a single to center field. Brady Owen came in to pinch run for the catcher and moved to third on Russell Strilchuk's single to right field. With Alex Wimer's sacrifice bunt, Owen scored and Strilchuk reached third. Strilchuk then crossed home plate on Trevor Garriott's RBI single to give the Owls a 3-1 lead.
 
Park countered with five runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-3 lead. They added one more in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double. 
 
In the top of the seventh, Jones hit a two-out single up the middle. He stole second to get into scoring position, but a strikeout ended the game with a 7-3 loss.
 
The Owls outhit Park 8-5. Jones went 3-for-4 from the plate with two stolen bases. 
 
Travis Hennessey (1-3) was credited with the loss. He pitched 3.0 innings and struck out five. 
 
Game Two
WWU scored early again in game two, bringing in two runs on a two RBI single by Doherty. Doherty moved around to third, and Chase Gibson was walked to put two runners on, but a pop out ended the inning. 
 
Park hit an RBI triple in the bottom of the second to get on the board.
 
 In the top of the fourth, Tyler Bracht was hit by a pitch to get on. He advanced to third on Gibson's at bat and scored on Wimer's RBI fielder's choice. With one out, Gibson now on third and Wimer moving to second on the throw, the Owls looked to add more runs. Owen hit an RBI fielder's choice, scoring Gibson and advancing Wimer to third, but a double play ended the Owls' run on the next at bat. The Owls went into the bottom of the fourth with a 4-1 lead.
 
In the top of the fifth, Jones hit a three-run home run inside the park, bringing home Isaiah Gibbs and Doherty. After a pitching change, Bracht singled to center field and crossed home plate on Gibson's ground out to give the Owls an 8-1 advantage. 
 
The Owls added one more in the sixth on a wild throw by the catcher. Owen stole third and a wild throw on the play gave him the go-ahead to add a run. 
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Park rallied for four runs to bring the game to 9-5, but the Owls' defense held Park from scoring in the remaining two innings to win their first conference game, 9-5. 
 
Jones went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Doherty and Douglas Martin recorded two hits each with Doherty also recording two RBI. 
 
Hayden Davey (2-1) pitched the first five innings, allowed just four hits, one run and struck out five.