The William Woods University Lady Owls stopped their four-game losing streak in dramatic fashion.
Sophomore center fielder Hannah Campbell's one-out, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted William Woods to a 9-8 win over the Williams Baptist College (Arkansas) Lady Eagles on Friday afternoon at Backer Sports Complex.
Williams Baptist then built an early 6-1 lead in the second game, en route to a 7-3 victory and a split of the American Midwest Conference doubleheader.
William Woods (18-19, 7-5 AMC) had to overcome a 6-3 deficit in the first game, forcing extra innings when senior third baseman Caroline Sicht's RBI double with one out in the seventh tied the game at 7-all. Williams Baptist (Arkansas) College manufactured a run in the top of the ninth to regain the lead, putting the Lady Owls in a position to have to rally again.
Sicht singled up the middle with one out in the bottom of the inning and senior catcher Macy Wierschem followed by drawing a walk. Junior shortstop Shelby LeCuru then dropped a double into shallow right and Sicht sprinted home from second, allowing William Woods to pull even again at 8-all.
Wierschem advanced to third on the play and then scored the winning run when Campbell singled to right.
Sicht finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored as the Lady Owls piled up 16 hits and profited from four errors by the Lady Eagles (21-12, 12-8). Wierschem was also 2-for-3 and scored three times, while Campbell went 2-for-6 with two RBIs, a run scored and two stolen bases.
Senior first baseman Kacey Scharnhorst finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and LeCuru and junior left fielder Sydnae Hatton were both 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Freshman Bre Logan, working the final two innings in relief of freshman starter Allison Waskow, logged the victory for William Woods. Logan gave up an earned run on one hit and struck out three.
The Lady Owls bowed in the nightcap despite out-hitting the Lady Eagles 13-8. William Woods took a 1-0 lead in the first on junior designated player Emily Murphy's two-out, RBI double, but Williams Baptist countered with two runs in the second and four more in the third to craft a five-run edge.
The Lady Owls tacked on a run in the fifth on Scharnhorst's RBI groundout with one out. William Woods then made it 6-3 in the sixth when LeCuru singled home a run with two outs.
However, that would be the last of the Lady Owls' scoring and the Lady Eagles tallied their final run in the seventh.
LeCuru went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Wierschem and sophomore second baseman Alexi Cavins were both 2-for-3. Scharnhorst was 2-for-4 with a triple, a double, an RBI and a run scored, while Hatton finished 2-for-4.
Logan - getting the start this time - wrestled with her control in being tagged with the complete-game loss. She surrendered seven earned runs, issued seven walks and struck out two.
William Woods hosted another AMC doubleheader against Lyon (Arkansas) College on Saturday afternoon. Results were not available at press time.