FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University baseball team ended their regular season with a four-game series sweep over Williams Baptist University Friday afternoon. The Owls picked up an 11-6 game one win before winning game two in walk-off fashion, 5-4.
The Owls conclude the regular season with a 22-15 overall record with a 15-11 conference mark.
The American Midwest Conference Championship begins on Tuesday, May 4, at CarShield Field in St. Louis, Mo. The Owls will find out their seeding on Saturday at the conclusion of the AMC play.
Game One
WBU hit a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
In the bottom of the first inning,
Isaiah Gibbs was hit by a pitch following the first out and was brought home on
Easton Wallace's double over the left fielder's head. Wallace then traded bases with
Bryson Matthews to plate the go-ahead run, giving the Owls a 2-1 lead.
On two outs in the bottom of the second,
Marcus Gonzalez knocked a bomb over the left field fence for a two-run homer.
WBU jumped back in the lead after plating four unearned runs in the third, 5-4.
The Owls broke the game open in the bottom of the third, putting up six runs to take a 10-5 lead.
Connor Poulson scored the first run of the inning on
Jake Fleming's RBI single just over second base. An
Alex Wimer RBI bunt brought Matthews home. WBU walked in the next run, and an error by the pitcher allowed Wimer to come home. Wallace hit a two RBI single to bring home
Jack Niggemeier and Gonzalez for the final two runs of the inning.
The Owls added one in the fourth as
Jake Fleming scored on the throw of Niggemeier's at bat.
WBU matched in the top of the fifth with a RBI double.
Neither team was able to get on the board again, ending with an 11-6 win for the Owls.
Wimer and Wallace each recorded two hits. Wallace drove in three runs and crossed home plate once. Wimer scored two runs and drove in one.
Ryan Long (3-3) started on the mound and was credited with the win. He tossed 5.0 innings and struck out four while allowing two earned runs.
Game Two
The Owls started game two with a 3-0 lead after one inning of play. Gonzalez scored on Gibb's RBI groundout for the first run, and
Alex Owens dropped a two RBI double to the left-center field fence to score Wallace and
Connor Poulson.
Gonzalez hit a RBI double to the left-center field fence to bring home Niggemeier in the second to give the Owls a 4-0 lead.
A wild pitch allowed WBU to score their first run of the game in the third inning. They added their second run in the fourth inning on a RBI double, cutting the game to 4-2.
Neither team scored again until WBU evened the score in the top of the ninth with a two RBI single to right field. A fly out to the infield sent the game into the bottom of the ninth.
WBU hit two batters to load up the bases with one out. Following a strikeout to get the second out, Gibson knocked the ball past shortstop to score Wimer for the game-winning run.
Gonzalez, Owens and Niggemeier each finished with two hits.
Max Storch (2-2) came in as relief and pitched the final 0.2 innings for the win.
Brock Glavey started on the mound and pitched 5.0 innings while striking out three.
Andrew Fyffe relieved Glavey and tossed 3.1 innings with two strikeouts.
