GULF SHORES, Ala. - Opening a fun six-game weekend in the 2025 Gulf Coast Invitational (GCI), William Woods University (9-6) fell 5-3 to (RV) Brenau University (12-1) in Game 1 before beating NCCAA Nelson University-Arizona (3-14) 3-1 in Game 2 Friday at Gulf Shores Sportsplex.
"A tough first game against a good team," William Woods softball coach
Tracy Gastineau said. "I thought our pitching was good, just didn't string enough hits together at the right time. Game 2, we were scrappy enough to put some runs on the board and again had good pitching to allow us to win."
Despite only having five hits and committing three errors, the Owls drew five walks, which allowed them to keep it close against the Golden Tigers. Brenau had 12 hits, no errors and received one walk.
The Golden Tigers went up 1-0 in the top of the first on a one-run, two-base error by the shortstop with one out.
Brooklynn Spillman answered the following frame for the Owls, tying it at 1 on her sacrifice fly to right field, which plated
Lexi Lewis, who hit a leadoff triple the previous at-bat.
Brenau made it three straight run-scoring frames to begin the contest, taking a 2-1 lead in the second on WWU's second one-run, two-base error with one out - by the third baseman this time.
After three straight scoreless innings, the Golden Tigers and Owls combined to plate five runs in the sixth. Brenau extended its advantage to 5-1 in the top half, recording an RBI double to left field, an RBI groundout to the pitcher and an RBI base hit to left. The Woods cuts its deficit to 5-3 in the bottom half on back-to-back bases-loaded walks by
Rylee Hagens and
Addie Rhea with two outs. Unable to come back, Lewis was the lone Owl to reach in the bottom of the seventh on her one-out single to center.
Right fielder/leadoff batter Lewis had a great game all around for William Woods, going 3-4 with two singles, a triple at the plate, stealing a base and scoring a run on the basepaths and making a putout with no errors in the field.
Sarah Randermann (3-3) started and took the loss for the Owls. In 5â…“ innings, she struck out five and allowed three earned runs (two unearned) on 10 hits, two HBPs and one walk. In relief,
Taylor Baumhoer tossed 1â…” shutout innings, punching out three and giving up two hits.
William Woods pitched well in Game 2. The Warriors had just four hits and committed one error, while the Owls posted five hits and made two errors.
Spillman gave the Owls the lead first, scoring when Hagens reached on a miscue by the first baseman with two outs in the top of the second. Nelson-Arizona evened it at 1 in the bottom of the second, driving in its only run on an RBI single to left field with one out.
Sammy Lohnes handed Woods its game-deciding lead at 2-1, smoking an RBI double to left field in the fourth, bringing in Spillman, who had a two-bagger the at-bat before that.Â
The Owls added an insurance run with two outs in the top of the seventh, with Lewis plating Hagens on her sacrifice fly to left field. Baumhoer was lights out in the bottom of the seventh, striking out the side, getting the first and third Warrior out looking and the second swinging.
Shortstop/five-hole hitter Spillman stood out for William Woods, finishing 2-3 with a double and a single at the dish, scoring twice and swiping a bag as a baserunner and making three assists and one putout as a fielder.
In her second start on the season,
Jessica Keilholz (1-0) earned the win for the Owls. Throwing four innings, Keilholz struck out three and allowed no earned runs (one unearned) on two hits, one walk and one HBP.
Baumhoer put together another tremendous outing out of the bullpen, registering WWU's first save this season - the first of Baumhoer's college career. The reigning, two-time AMC Softball Pitcher of the Week notched eight out of a possible nine strikeouts in three scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and one HBP.Â
The Owls continue play at the GCI, facing the University of Tennessee Southern (6-8) at 9 a.m. and Faulkner University (11-3) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
