FULTON, Mo.- The boys of spring are back in town this weekend, as William Woods (9-7, 3-3 AMC) hosts its first home series of the year with a four-game set against Mission University (9-2, 5-1 AMC). Historically, Woods leads the series 9-5 against the Patriots. The Owls split the day dropping game one on a masterful pitching performance from the MU ace, and winning game two 7-6 after scoring six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead.  

"We got out played and out coached in game one." said head coach John Cavness. "We did not make anything happen on both sides of the ball. In game two, we didn't play well enough to win when you look at the game in the long run, but our guys found a way to fight back and finish the day with a split." 

Game one saw the Owls on the wrong end of a 12-5 scoreline. The Woods scored in four of the seven innings with lone runs crossing in the first, second, and fifth innings, while the Owls offense crossed two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Woods tallied five hits in the contest with Jackson Kirn launching an opposite field homerun in the bottom of the second inning. In the end, the Patriot offense strung together 12 hits, seven XBH, scoring 12 runs and carrying themselves to a game one win.  

The thirty-minute break between games wasn't enough to slow down the hot offense from Mission, the Patriots jumped out to an early 5-0 lead after four and a half innings. William Woods was able to answer back scoring a lone run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jared Bendfeld, who reached base on a leadoff walk, crossed the plate off a sacrifice fly hit by catcher Noah Shepherd. Mission was able to answer back with a solo run in the top half of the sixth inning, carrying the score to 6-1.  

William Woods started the bottom of the sixth red-hot, bringing ten hitters to the plate in the frame. Sophomore infielder Colby Caton, playing the DH role today, drew a leadoff walk to start the Owls big inning. Kaden Kinsler laced a single to shallow left field and Jacob McWhirter drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Redshirt Sophomore shortstop Jared Bendfeld drew a four pitch walk to score Caton from third. 

With the bases loaded, and one out, Owls skipper John Cavness turned to pinch hitter Ryan Retone to try and cut the deficit. Retone, a transfer junior from State Fair Community College, worked an eight pitch at-bat and knocked a backside single to leftfield to score Kinsler; cutting the lead to three. A batter later, Cavness turned to another veteran hitter in Cade Irwin. In a six pitch at bat, Irwin was able to draw a walk with the bases loaded to score the fourth run for the Owls. On the first pitch of the next at-bat, junior transfer Jackson Kirn hammered a hanging breaking ball deep down the rightfield line for a bases clearing double. With this extra base hit, the Owls jumped on top for the first time in the contest.  

Mission threatened to score in the top half of the seventh inning when left fielder Trey Mulholland laced a triple off the wall in right field with one out. The Owls armbarn turned to senior closer Carson Prescott to try and prevent the tying run from crossing the plate. Prescott was able to retire the final two hitters of the contest, closing the door on a MU comeback and cementing a 7-6 Owls win.  

The Owls are back in action tomorrow as they finish out their AMC series against Mission University. First pitch is scheduled for Noon at Backer Sports Complex.