FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University baseball team grabbed a 15-5 seven-inning win over Missouri Valley College Wednesday evening. The Owls move to 15-25-1 on the season with the non-conference victory.
 
The Owls head back to conference play with a three-game series at Central Baptist College. The schedule was slightly altered with the games being moved up a day. The Owls now play a single nine-inning game at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 11. The doubleheader will tentatively begin at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 12.
 
MVC took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first with an RBI double followed by an RBI single.
 
In the bottom of the inning, the Owls rebutted with six runs of their own on two three-run home runs. Isaiah Gibbs led off the inning with a walk. Chase Gibson hit a one-out single to right field, and Zach Smith came up to the plate batting clean-up and smashed a home run over the center field fence to put the Owls up 3-0. Marquise Doherty was walked next, followed by a Quincy Jones single. Batting eighth, Douglas Martin came up and on the first pitch blasted a home run over the left-center field fence to give the Owls a 6-0 lead. 
 
MVC added two runs in the second on a double to the left field fence to bring the score to 6-4.
 
After going through the line up in the first inning, Gibbs was back up to bat in the bottom of the second. He led off with a triple down the left field line and scored on a passed ball. 
 
In the bottom of the third, the Owls loaded the bases with one out. Martin scored on a passed ball. With two outs, Alex Wimer attempted to steal home but was tagged out to end the inning with an 8-4 lead.
 
The Owls added three more in the fourth inning to take an 11-4 lead. With one out, Jones brought home Z. Smith with a single to shallow right field. The Owls then loaded the bases, and MVC's pitcher threw four straight balls to Martin to walk in a Doherty. Wimer followed with a sacrifice fly to score Jones. 
 
In the bottom of the sixth, RBI doubles by Martin and Gibbs brought home two more runs for the Owls.
 
With two outs on the board in the top of the seventh, MVC added a run off an error. The Owls grabbed the final out on the next at with a force out at second. 
 
With a 13-5 lead, the Owls needed just two more runs to end the game early. Gibson was walked to start the inning. Brian Granton came in as the courtesy runner and was brought home on Z. Smith's RBI double to right-center field. On Doherty's fly out, Z. Smith advanced to third. Quincy Jones was intentionally walked, putting two runners on for Tyler Bracht. Bracht hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Z. Smith and end the game. 
 
Martin went 3-for-3 from the plate with five RBI and three runs scored. Z. Smith went 3-for-4 from the plate with four RBI and three runs scored. Gibbs and Jones also had multi-hit games.
 
Hayden Davey was credited with the win on the mound. He pitched 1.2 innings and struck out four. Tristan Steffens started on the mound and pitched 1.1 innings.