COLUMBIA, Mo. –A dominating fourth inning helped lead the William Woods University softball team to an upset over No. 25 Central Baptist College in the opening round of the 2019 American Midwest Conference Tournament. The 8-3 win over the two-seeded Mustangs brings the Owls to 21-23 on the season and advances them in the Tournament.
 
The Owls will face Williams Baptist University on Thursday, May 2, at 11 a.m. (weather permitting). Central Baptist will now play Lindenwood-Belleville in the elimination game. 
 
The Owls got on the board quickly in the top of the first. With two outs, Emma Walker began the rally with a single to center field. Alli Massey followed with a single, and Walker stole third on the next at-bat. Emily Robinett then hit an RBI single through the hole at second base to bring in Walker and give the Owls a 1-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the third, CBC looked to tie the game on a sacrifice fly, but the runner left early and a double play was credited to end the inning. 
 
In the top of the fourth, the Owls put up six runs on six hits. Celeste Sermeno led off with a single to right field. She advanced to second on Lindy Wilson's sacrifice bunt, and moved to third on Dacrie Depping's single just over short stop. Bri Devellano was walked prior to Depping's single, loading the bases. Anna Counts was walked, bringing Sermeno in for a free run. After switching pitchers, CBC grabbed a second out but bases remained loaded. Walker smashed a double to right-center field, scoring two and moving Counts to third. Massey traded places with Walker, clearing the bases in the process. A single from Robinett moved Massey to third, and a Sermeno single scored Massey for the Owls' seventh run of the game.
 
CBC finally got on the board with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth.
 
The Owls added one more run in the sixth inning with Sermeno's double to the left-center field fence, scoring Massey.
 
The Owls held CBC from scoring again in the final two innings, closing out the upset.
 
Brittany Roady (12-7) pitched the complete game win. She allowed six hits and struck out two. 
 
Sermeno went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Walker went 2-for-3 from the plate with a double, two RBI and two runs scored, and Massey went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Also recording two hits were Robinett and Depping.