BELLEVUE, Neb. - A fast start by Mayville State (North Dakota) University was too much for 24th-ranked William Woods University to overcome, signalling the end of the Owls' season.
Nate Williams' three-run home run highlighted a four-run first inning and No. 5 seed Mayville State went on to down No. 3 William Woods 6-3 Wednesday night to eliminate the Owls in the Bellevue Bracket of the NAIA Opening Round.
William Woods - playing in the NAIA Opening Round for the second straight year - completed its season with a 39-14 record. Mayville State (41-21) advances to face top-seeded Tabor (Kansas) College in an elimination game this afternoon.
The Comets extended their lead over the Owls to 5-0 with a run in the third Wednesday night, but William Woods battled back with two runs in the top of the fifth to close the gap. Junior left fielder Larry Price's squeeze bunt scored senior second baseman Javier Ledesma, who led off the inning with a double down the third-base line.
The Owls produced their other run in the inning when senior first baseman Dustin Kremer reached on an error, allowing freshman pinch-runner Patrick Dillion to score.
William Woods then made it 5-3 in the seventh on Kremer's RBI single, but that would be the last of the Owls' scoring. Mayville State added an insurance run in the eighth.
Senior right fielder Nick Spagnola finished 2-for-5 to guide William Woods' nine-hit attack, while Ledesma was 1-for-3 and Kremer went 1-for-4. Price also finished 1-for-5.
Junior starter Jacob Guilianelli suffered the loss for the Owls, surrendering five earned runs on six hits in only 2 1/3 innings. Guilianelli (0-2) recorded two strikeouts and issued a walk.
William Woods avoided a tournament exit earlier Wednesday when it rallied for an 8-6 victory over No. 4 seed Madonna (Michigan) University. Sophomore designated hitter Konrad Kemper - a South Callaway graduate - triggered the Owls' comeback by hitting a two-out, three-run home run to punctuate a five-run outburst in the bottom of the seventh.
Madonna took an early lead with a run in the top of the first, but William Woods answered with a run in its half of the inning on Kremer's RBI single to tie the game. The Crusaders added single runs in the second and third to go in front 3-1, before the Owls narrowed the deficit to a run in their half of the third on Kremer's RBI fielder's choice.
William Woods then found itself down 6-2 after Madonna put up two more runs in the fourth and tallied one in the seventh. Price opened the Owls' half of the seventh with a single up the middle and raced to third when Spagnola followed with a double to deep center.
After senior center fielder Cody Stewart popped out to third, Kremer's groundout to third scored Price. Spagnola advanced to third on the play and came home on senior third baseman Austin Clapp's double to deep left, making it 6-4.
Senior shortstop Stephen Kohler then drew a walk and Kemper followed by launching a 2-1 pitch to left for his three-run homer to give William Woods its first lead of the game. The inning ended when Ledesma was thrown out trying to bunt his way on.
The Owls tacked on a critical run in the eighth when Spagnola smashed the first pitch he saw for a two-out, solo homer to right-center.
Kemper went 3-for-3 as William Woods collected 11 hits. Spagnola also finished 3-for-5, while Kremer and Clapp were both 1-for-4.
Senior reliever Ryan Yuengel allowed two earned runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings to log the win for the Owls. Yuengel (8-0) struck out two and walked none.
Madonna ended its season with a 37-17 record.