FULTON, Mo.- William Woods University (22-18-1, 9-6 AMC) put up 17 runs in the all-around rout vs Harris-Stowe State University (1-23, 0-15 AMC). The Owls tallied 16 hits on the day and committed one error. The win capped off a three-game sweep of HSSU on Senior Day.
The Woods offense opened the bottom of the first inning scoring three runs in their first trip to the plate. The inning featured two triples off the sticks of
Kaden Kinsler and
Jacob McWhirter. The triple by Kinsler marked his ninth of the season, setting the school record for triples in a year. Kinsler and Niggemeier scored on back-to-back pitches thanks to a sac fly by
Matt Hanson and the triple by McWhirter. Senior catcher
Kamron Morriss would tally the last RBI of the inning scoring McWhirter on a single to left field.
The Harris-Stowe offense could not put anything together in the second, third, or fourth inning. After the first inning their arm was able to match Schaffer until the bottom half of the fourth inning when The Woods was able to put up six runs in the frame. The Owls opened the inning on a line drive homerun from
Jacob McWhirter that sparked the offensive production of the team. Woods would hit all nine batters in the lineup, tallying four hits and three walks. A single by
Tyler Horton scored
AJ Willenberg and
Taylor Hopkins;
Kaden Kinsler singled to left scoring Horton; and a groundout by Niggemeier scored
Kaden Kinsler giving William Woods their sixth run of the frame.
William Woods would not be held off the board in any inning for the rest of the contest. Woods would score three runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Owls would call to the bullpen to open the seventh inning to keep the Hornets off the board. With their backs to the wall, Harris Stowe was able to scrap together seven runs in the frame on six hits and one walk with one error by the Owls defense. This seven-run inning cut the lead to eight at 15-7 in favor of The Woods.
The Woods offense responded to this outburst by Harris-Stowe, tallying two runs in the bottom half of the inning to end the game early on a mercy rule. The first two batters of the inning,
Kaden Kinsler and
Jack Niggemeier, drew walks to put runners on first and second.
Matt Hanson drove a ball up the middle and scored Kinsler, while advancing Niggemeier.
Jacob McWhirter hammered the first pitch that was threw to him and Niggemeier scored the winning run.
The Owls starting pitcher
Ty Schaffer was electric in his outing. Schaffer threw six innings, allowing only three hits while walking one and striking out one. Schaffer, allowing only four base runners during his six innings of work, lowering his ERA to a 4.20. William Woods is back in action next weekend in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas to play William's Baptist University. First pitch is set for Friday at noon.
