SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – William Woods looked to stay on their hot streak of baseball as they played in the winner-take-all game against the #2-seeded Mustangs from Mount Mercy University.
Owls jumped on top in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of a Mustang error to gift Woods a 1-0 lead. Mount Mercy would get that run back at the top of the first with a bases-loaded walk.
Owls would come back in the bottom of the second inning with a single by
Cam Casso to score Kirn to regain the lead over the Mustangs. Mount Mercy wouldn't go away as they would tie it up in the top of the third with a sac fly.
Woods would get their offense going in the bottom of the fourth, started by a backside single from
Ryan Retone to score Gaither to regain the lead. In true small-ball fashion,
Jude Gremillion would lay a bunt down the third base line to score
Grant O'Haver from third to go up two on the Mustangs.
The Owls would continue to tack on with some help from the Mustang defense to take a commanding 6-2 lead over Mount Mercy before the wheels would come off for the Owls in the top of the seventh. The Mustangs would throw up a 6-spot in the top of the seventh to take the lead and all the momentum away from the Owls.
The Mustangs would go on to score another nine runs to cap off the game and walk away with the conference championship over the Owls. With this being the final game of the tournament, the Owls would receive the runner-up award for their second-place finish in the tournament.
The Owls will not wait for Wednesday to find out which regional they will be traveling to, as they earned a bid by making the Championship game.
