FULTON, Mo. - Earning the two wins in two different ways, William Woods University (15-14, 5-3 American Midwest Conference) secured a Senior Day sweep over Crowley's Ridge College (10-14, 2-6) Saturday at Backer Sports Complex. The Owls scored their most runs and won by their widest margin on the season in Game 1, short-gaming the Pioneers 17-0 in five innings, then WWU had a dominant outing in the circle as it won 5-2 in Game 2.
"Great conference wins today and great team wins," William Woods softball coach
Tracy Gastineau said. "We hit the ball throughout the lineup, which was great."
Before the action got underway, The Woods held its Senior Day ceremony. The Owls recognized players
Sarah Randermann,
Jessica Keilholz,
Kelsey Rose,
Morgan Collins,
Callie Zarcone,
Rylee Hagens and
Jaden Swift, and student-manager Tori Arriaga.
"These women mean a great deal to me, having coached them two to five years," Gastineau said. "Each holds a special place in my heart, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for them after graduation."
Once the softball got underway, William Woods' bats in its senior-heavy starting nine were lively in Game 1, plating 17 runs on 17 hits while playing flawlessly in the field and nearly a perfect game in the circle. Crowley's Ridge had no runs on one hit and committed five errors.
After Owls starter
Taylor Baumhoer sent the Pioneers down 1-2-3 in the top of the first, Woods' hitters went to work at the plate and put up a five-spot in the bottom of the first.
Woods' leadoff hitter
Lexi Lewis reached on a single to center field, swiped second and third base in succession, then scored the Owls' first run on Hagens' sacrifice fly to right field. Three batters later,
Sammy Lohnes sent home
Brooklynn Spillman from second base on her base hit. Lohnes scored WWU's third run on
Ella Aguiar's single to the shortstop. That started a string of four straight base hits, two driving in runs -
Kaitlyn Plassmeyer and Lewis had those RBI singles.
The Owls had an even greater second inning at the dish, tallying seven runs, already holding a big enough lead for the run-rule, which doesn't go into effect until the fifth at the earliest.
Addie Rhea produced WWU's first run of the frame on her one-bagger to left field, then Zarcone scored on Keilholz's bases-loaded walk, Swift slapped an RBI single to right, Hagens a one-run base hit to center and Spillman a two-RBI two-bagger to left.
Making it three straight run-scoring innings, Zarcone scored for the third time in as many innings, crossing home plate on Keilholz's fielder's choice, which made it 12-0 Owls.
In the fourth inning, The Woods tacked on its final four runs. The Owls got those runs when
Faith Karr scored on pinch-hitter
Hailey Robinson's groundout to third base, Zarcone notched her fourth run on Keilholz's single to left and Keilholz and substitute
Haley Bibby made it home as Plassmeyer reached second on a two-base error by the third baseman.
Using a freshman and a senior, the Owls had stellar pitching. Freshman starter Baumhoer (8-5) earned the win, tossing three no-hit, shutout innings with no walks allowed, then senior reliever Keilholz closed the door with two scoreless innings as she struck out one and gave up two HBP and one hit.
Lewis stole a game-high two bases on the basepaths, and Spillman took one base.
Pitching, plate discipline and baserunning proved the winning formula in Game 2 for William Woods. Owls senior starter Randermann (6-8) threw a complete-game victory, striking out 10 and holding Crowley's Ridge to two runs on five hits. On the offense side, the Owls' hitters received six free passes and were pegged by one pitch - Lohnes had a team-high two walks and Lewis reached on a walk and HBP - and their baserunners stole four bases, including a game-high two by Lewis.
The Owls needed those factors to go their way as they recorded just one hit and committed one error. Unlike the Pioneers, William Woods capitalized when it had runners on base, stranding six compared to CRC's 11. The Pioneers' three errors also helped WWU bring runners home.
A Crowley's Ridge miscue gave the Owls their first run and game-deciding lead when Lohnes scored from second base when Keilholz reached on a two-base error by the center fielder in the bottom of the second.
An inning later, WWU added four insurance runs, three when Rhea blasted a bases-clearing double to center field, and then the Owls' first baseman scored as Aguiar made it to second base on an error by the shortstop.
Unable to come back from their 5-0 deficit, the Pioneers plated their only runs of the series on a two-run error by WWU's second baseman.
The Owls must be at their best for their next AMC matchup, hosting fierce rival Columbia College (14-8, 5-1 AMC) in a doubleheader that starts at 2 p.m. next Saturday.
