Box Score FULTON, Mo. - For the second time in as many games, William Woods (20-18-1, 7-6 AMC) hung 14 runs on the scoreboard in a winning effort, but Friday saw the Owls use a steady scoring pace en route to a 14-4 (7 inn.) win over Harris-Stowe (1-22, 0-13 AMC) State University.
Sean Goings had the exclamation point for Woods on the night, with a 350-foot walk off home run in the bottom of the seventh.
Max Benson had a solid start for the Owls, drawing three straight easy retirements in the top of the first. Woods jumped on the offensive immediately, with
Kaden Kinsler and
Jack Niggemeier leading off with back-to-back singles. Both would score in the inning, with Kinsler plated by
Jacob McWhirter on a high groundout to first. Kamron Morris laced a triple to right center to score Niggemeier.
Woods added a single run in the second and was unfortunate to not add more than three in the third. After drawing a leadoff walk and stealing second,
Matt Hanson found himself on third after a McWhirter single. Morriss poked a fly ball to shallow left, but both runners were frozen as Za'Maree Tillman charged in but was unable to make the catch on the slide. Hanson was able to score, but McWhirter was forced out at second.
Harris-Stowe found a run in the top of the fourth and three in the top of the fifth, but Woods was able to scratch across two runs in the bottom half of each inning to keep a comfortable margin, leading 10-4 after five.
Carson Prescott had a bit of a shaky start to his relief appearance, giving up a triple and a walk to his first two batters, but settled into a rhythm after retiring Devin Rader. Rader squared to bunt, but Prescott's pitch bounced up and caromed off of Rader's shin outside the batter's box.
After chasing HSSU's starter from the game for the start of the sixth, Woods extended its lead to nine runs in the bottom of the sixth. Prescott flashed the leather to start the seventh, snagging Austin Toler's shot up the middle on his follow through and tossing to first. He struck out Tyson Dent and got pinch hitter Cam Pratt to pop up to Hanson.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Goings drew a 1-1 count before connecting on a breaking ball and sending it 20-plus feet beyond the right field fence.
The Owls will close out the home portion of the regular season tomorrow afternoon with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Harris-Stowe. Between games of the doubleheader, Woods will recognize its 2024 senior class.
