SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The William Woods University softball team swept Evangel University Monday afternoon, 7-6 and 9-4. The Owls improve to 4-5 on the season.
The Owls play NCAA Division III Westminster College in a doubleheader across town on Saturday, Feb. 22. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.
Game One
The Owls had another come-from-behind win as they put up four runs in the top of the seventh to take up a 7-6 lead.
The Owls took a 3-0 in the top of the first with an
Abbi Pringer RBI single to score
Emma Taylor and a two RBI single from
Ally Mahoney to score Pringer and
Celeste Sermeno.
Evangel scored one in the bottom of the third on an RBI single.
EU had a huge five-running inning in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-3 lead.
With their last chance to win the game, the Owls put up four runs in the top of the seventh. An error started the inning, and
Regan Wilde followed with a double to bring
Jessi Butler to third. With bases loaded, EU walked in a run. Mahoney hit a two RBI single to score Wilde and Pringer and tie the game at 6-6.
Annika Ramon, pinch running for Sermeno, scored on the wild throw from right field on the play, giving the Owls the 7-6 lead.
The Owls' defense held EU to three up, three down in the bottom of the inning with a ground out, a strike out and a fly out to win the game.
Mahoney went 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBI.
Brittany Roady (2-1) was credited with the win. She came in as relief and pitched the final 1.1 innings. She allowed just one hit while striking out two.
Game Two
The Owls scored in five of the seven innings with eight of the nine batters recording at least one hit in game two.
WWU opened the game with
Emma Taylor scoring on a fielder's choice, but EU evened the score in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single.
In the third, Sermeno hit a two RBI triple to the center field fence to score
Anna Counts and Pringer, putting the Owls up 3-1. Sermeno then came home on Mahoney's RBI ground out to short.
EU picked up a run in the bottom of the third to bring the score to 4-2, Owls.
The Owls answered back with two runs in the top of the fourth. With bases loaded, Pringer came up to bat. A fielder's choice got
Taylor Bell out at home but left the bases loaded. Sermeno was walked, bringing in Taylor. Mahoney then singled to the infield, and Counts crossed the plate to make it a 6-2 game.
EU again added a run in the bottom of the inning.
In the top of the fifth,
Devyn Burton hit a two-out double down the left field line. She was brought home with Taylor's RBI single to right field.
The Owls took a 9-3 lead in the top of the sixth after scoring two more runs. Sermeno hit a one-out single to start it off, and she advanced to third on Mahoney's double to left field.
Bri Devellano brought Sermeno home with an RBI groundout, and Mahoney advanced to third on the throw. Mahoney was then brought in with
Hanna Knipp's RBI single to left field.
EU scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth to bring the game to 9-4.
The Owls attempted to score again in the top of the seventh but was forced to leave two runners stranded.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Owls recorded a double play to end the game. Due to an injury that lead to darkness, the game ended with one out to go.
The Owls outhit EU 16-8. Sermeno went 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and four RBI. Pringer went 3-for-5 with one run scored.
Alexis Hassler (1-1) was credited with the win in the circle. She pitched 3.2 innings and struck out one.
