O'FALLON, Mo.- In the opening game of the 2025 AMC Baseball Championship Tournament, the #5 Owls of William Woods (28-21, 20-16AMC) played #4 Central Baptist College (28-22, 23-13 AMC) at Carshield Field. The Owls, coming in as the #5 seed in the conference tournament, out hit the Mustangs in the contest.
Leading off the game, Woods was unable to notch a tally in the scoring column in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the frame, Central Baptist worked the bases loaded in just four hitters. William Woods was able to record the first two outs of the inning on fielder's choice's, which scored two runs for the Mustangs.
The Owls were able to cut the lead to one run in the top of the third inning, scoring one run in the frame on a Mustang battery miscue. With two outs, Ryan Retone singled to deep shortstop. Following the base knock, Colby Caton barreled a ball into shallow left field for another single that moved Retone to third. With the increased pressure on the bases, and a misplay off the catcher's mitt, Retone was able to score on the ball to the backstop.
In the fourth and fifth innings, Woods swapped scoreless frames with the Mustangs before Central Baptist increased their lead. Scoring two runs in the sixth and three runs in the seventh inning, Central Baptist held a 7-1 lead going into the final two frames.
Despite a scoreless eighth, the Owls kept hope alive in the ninth. Cade Irwin led off the inning with a loud double off the wall in left-center field, followed by a groundout to move the runner to third with one out. John Cavness turned to veteran leader, Vincent Pyeatt, to run the bases for Irwin. With Jude Gremillion working a four-pitch walk at the plate, Pyeatt took advantage of a pitch to the backstop to score Woods' second run of the game. With one out, and a runner at first, the Owls were still gunning to tie the game. However, an excellent play from the Mustang shortstop gave way for a game-ending double play ball cementing a CBC win at 7-2 despite being out hit 9-7 in the game.
The Owls play in an elimination game tonight at 7:45 in O'Fallon. Their opponent will be the loser of the Mission University and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy game. The way it stands now, William Woods will have to battle back out of the loser's bracket to have a chance to play for an AMC Championship.
