FULTON, Mo.- William Woods softball (13-12, 6-3 Heart) hosted MidAmerica Nazarene (20-12, 6-6 Heart) for their first conference meeting since the Owls joined the Heart of America Athletic Conference as full members in the Fall of 2025. After falling short in game one, Taylor Baumhoer and company dominated for the shutout win in game two.
In game one, the Owls gave up a total of eight runs on eleven hits; four of which were ruled as earned runs. William Woods was able to scratch a lone run in the contest against the Pioneer ace, tallying their mark in the bottom of the fourth on a solo shot from Addie Rhea. This looked to provide life for the Owls offense as Brooklyn Spillman doubled immediately after, but William Woods was not able to capitalize for more runs in the frame. The MNU ace racked up the K's with 14 sat down via the strikeout while only allowing four hits.
Game two saw a different story unfold for the Owls, as Taylor Baumhoer allowed only one hit in the 2-0 William Woods win. Lexi Lewis led off the bottom half of the first with a base knock to left field before stealing second on the first pitch of the next at-bat to Corynne Miller. The Owls right fielder, Miller, bunted back to the pitcher earning a bunt single while advancing Lewis to third. A Pioneer defense miscue led to the Owls first run of the contest that scored Lewis from third and allowed Miller to advance to the base after stealing second a pitch prior. Woods was unable to bring home Miller, as she was cut down on the next ball in play trying to advance home.
Neither team notched the scoring column in the middle innings, with both arms peppering the strike zone. MNU's bullpen arm, which entered after the first inning, tallied six strikeouts in the middle frames while Owls' arm Baumhoer sat down eight via the punch out.
Woods was able to invest in an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as Mariah Prince led off the frame with a knock to center. Prince, a blazing speedster, swiped second base on the first pitch of the at-bat to put a runner in scoring position for the Owls. Sammy Lohnes was called upon to advance the runner, and did just that with a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher that allowed Prince to advance to third. Prince was brought home on a ball sent right back up the middle off the bat of third baseman Emmy Blevins to give the Owls a 2-0 lead.
Baumhoer was able to retire the side in order in the top of the seventh to preserve a 2-0 conference win for the Owls. The lone hit in the matchup for MNU was a hit by rule that rolled down the third base line and hit the bag before it had the chance to bounce foul.
The Owls return Sunday afternoon as they take the trek to Fayette, Mo., to take on the nationally ranked Eagles of Central Methodist University for another Heart of America Conference Matchup.
