JOPLIN, Mo. - Peyton Clampitt turned in a solid start for the Owls, striking out four and allowing just three hits over 5.2 innings of work, but William Woods (5-3) couldn't hang on for the win, falling 5-4 in eight innings to Northwestern College (3-3) on Saturday.
Colby Caton had a big day at the plate for WWU, going 3-4 with one RBI and scoring a run.
For the second straight day, the weather was a part of the story as WWU saw its opener against William Penn canceled due to cold temperatures. The Owls took the changes in stride, however, opening the scoring in the top of the first.
Jack Niggemeier battled through a nine-pitch at-bat before drawing a walk, with Caton following up with the first of his three hits in the contest. A wild pitch pushed the runners into scoring position for Woods.
Matt Hanson hit a deep sac fly to center to plate Niggemeier before Caton scrambled home on a bobbled grounder by NWC first baseman Devin Dirkx.
The Owls added another run in the top of the fifth, as
Rylee Mabe made the most of a leadoff walk. The Woods left fielder broke for second on a pickoff attempt and drew an errant throw by Dirkx, then moved to third as
Vincent Pyeatt flied out to center. A one-out single by Niggemeier plated Mabe, but WWU hit into a double play to end the inning.
Northwestern clawed a pair of runs back in the bottom of the fifth, then managed to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Both teams went down in order in the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
Caton was able to plate WWU's tiebreaker runner in the top of the eighth, with a two-out single pushing Mabe across, but the Red Raiders were able to answer with their tiebreaker runner, then earn the win with a two-out single.
With the forecast improving for Sunday, Woods was able to pick up a doubleheader to replace the cancellations from earlier in the weekend, as WWU will take on Graceland. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m.
