CONWAY, Ark. -
Lexi Lewis broke the No. 3 seed Cougars of Columbia College's (27-13) hearts, smacking a two-run, walk-off jack to center field in the bottom of the ninth inning as the No. 2 seed Owls of William Woods University (30-15) secured a final four spot in the American Midwest Conference Tournament Wednesday at City of Colleges Park.
"I couldn't get the bunt down, so instead I hit it over the fence," Lewis, who hit her second home run in the third year of her college career, said. "But seriously, I was just looking for a base hit somewhere."
Speaking of hits, William Woods not only had two more runs than Columbia, but two more hits as well: The Owls notched eight hits and committed one error, while the Cougars had six hits and no errors.
"Another day of great pitching and timely hitting for us," William Woods softball coach
Tracy Gastineau said. "A key pinch-hit single from
Taylor Lorenz got us going in the ninth, and Lexi finished it with her big swing. We are normally not a home-run-hitting team, but I will take it this time of year."
After getting shut out by AMC Freshman of the Year Megan Graver in the regular season meeting, the Owls knew they needed to send runs across early, and they did.
Brooklynn Spillman sent WWU ahead 1-0 in the third inning, driving in
Jessica Keilholz on her sacrifice fly to center field.
Keilholz did it herself two innings later, smoking a two-run shot over the Field 2 fence of City of Colleges Park, her third long ball on the year and sixth in four seasons with Woods. Eventual hero Lewis scored on the homer by the Owls' three-time All-AMC honoree, which extended WWU's advantage to 3-0.
The Cougars put up a fight, clawing their way back with a three-spot in the top of the sixth to tie it at 3, registering two hits and two walks in the frame.
Taylor Baumhoer (12-6) replaced William Woods starter
Sarah Randermann, and she fulfilled the redemption arc, getting the last laugh on her counterpart, Graver, by outdueling her in the final three innings. Between the seventh and ninth, the Owls' freshman gave up a hit and two walks, while the Cougars' freshman allowed two walks and two hits.
Columbia's only hit against Baumhoer was a two-out single in the top of the eighth. When did Woods barrel the softball for its two hits? To begin the bottom of the ninth, starting with a pinch-hit base hit by
Taylor Lorenz and ending, winning the contest on a Lewis two-run bomb that sent home pinch-runner
Corynne Miller for the game-clinching run.
While Lewis's home run was an easily noticeable factor in why the Owls won, quite possibly a second key reason was WWU coach Gastineau using her pitching depth while CC coach Wendy Spratt trusted her first-year ace to go the distance.
Randermann and Baumhoer combined to match Graver's 161 pitches, and they totaled 12 strikeouts (Randermann K'd nine and Baumhoer K'd three) and four walks (two apiece for the Owls hurlers), two more punchouts and one less free pass than the Cougars' pitcher.
With Williams Baptist University eliminating Columbia from the AMC Tournament, the Owls surely took their season series with the Cougars, 2-1, the doubtful chance of a national tournament matchup aside.
William Woods awaits what's sure to be an enticing final four face-off against archrival, No. 16/No. 1 seed Missouri Baptist University (42-6) at noon Thursday at City of Colleges Park Field 1. Whoever wins advances to the championship; the loser would face the winner between No. 4 seed Williams Baptist (34-13) and No. 5 seed Central Baptist College (29-24) at 4 p.m. Thursday for the second and final spot in Friday's tournament final.
