ATCHINSON, Kan. – William Woods (9-8) traveled to Kansas to open Heart of America Conference play with a series against Benedictine College (10-8). The Owls would finish up day one with a split on the day, with a 3-2 loss in game one and a bounce-back 5-3 win in game two over the Ravens.
Game one was a pitching duel from both squads, with only 7 combined hits for both teams. Benedictine would strike early in the bottom of the first with 2 runs off of
Jakob Koehn, but would settle in nicely after giving up another run in the bottom of the second. Koehn would only let up three on an efficient day on the mound, letting the defense work behind him.
With the Owls' offense being kept off balance by the Ravens starter, it took till the sixth inning to get some offense going as
Kaden Kinsler deposited a two-run homer over the right field wall to cut the lead to just one.
Despite the last-minute offense from the Owls, the early offense from the Ravens would trump William Woods and lead to a game-one loss, 3-2.
Coming back in game two, the Owls would get the offense going early, scoring three runs in the first inning of game two. A single from Kinsler would get it going for the Owls, scoring
Cam Casso and advancing
Jude Gremillion to scoring position. An error from the Raven would score two more for the Owls to start off the game.
The Owls would tack on another two runs at the top of the second inning with another single from Kinsler that would get past the centerfielder, allowing two runs to score.
That would be all the support
AJ Vasquez would need as he would go on to toss 4.1 innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out three to keep the Ravens in check.
Parker Austin would come in relief for Vasquez and shut down the Ravens offense, going 2.2 innings, striking out two, and allowing zero runs.
With that save from Austin, the Owls would walk away with the day, one split the 5-3 momentum win heading into game three.
William Woods will look to take the series tomorrow as they finish the Heart of America conference game with a noon first pitch.
