CONWAY, Ark. - Senior starter Ryan Phillips tossed a three-hitter and struck out 11 for his first shutout of the season as the William Woods University Owls took the AMC series against Central Baptist College with Saturday's 1-0 victory.
Phillips (5-2) posted both his fourth complete game and fourth performance with 10 or more strikeouts this season. He issued only two walks Saturday.
William Woods University (11-16, 7-5 American Midwest Conference) was also limited to three hits but tallied the game's only run in the top of the fifth inning. Senior third baseman Jansen Smith drew a leadoff walk, moved up on a wild pitch and came around to score on senior second baseman Alex St. Pierre's two-out single to left.
Pierre finished 2-for-4 and also doubled to start the eighth, while Phillips doubled to deep right-center in the first for the Owls' other hit.
The loss dropped Central Baptist College to 11-15 overall and 4-8 in the AMC.
William Woods and Central Baptist opened their series by splitting Friday's doubleheader. The Mustangs homered four times to take the first game 9-4, while the Owls used three home runs to fuel a 16-3 blitz in the nightcap.
William Woods got off to a fast start in the opener, putting up three runs in the first on an RBI single by Phillips - playing second - and junior first baseman Tyler Cunningham's two-run homer. Central Baptist tied the game at 3-all by scoring three runs in the third and tallied two more in the fourth to go in front to stay.
The Owls made it 5-4 in the sixth on junior catcher Josh Nicol's RBI single, but the Mustangs took control by breaking out for four runs in their half of the inning.
Cunningham and Phillips - who also scored a run - both finished 2-for-4 as William Woods collected nine hits. Nicol and junior right fielder Nolan Aherin, who had a double and scored a run, were each 1-for-4.
Junior starter Ryan Furtney took the loss for the Owls. Furtney (2-3) was tagged for six earned runs on 10 hits over five innings, but struck out seven and walked just one.
William Woods erupted for five runs in the third in the second game, getting RBI singles from Aherin, Cunningham and junior shortstop Glen DesBouillons, and a two-run double by senior designated hitter Konrad Kemper. The Mustangs scored three runs in their half of the inning, but the Owls plated four more in the fourth - highlighted by another Kemper two-run double - to go up 9-3.
Aherin then hit a two-run homer in the fifth and Nicol followed later in the inning by ripping a three-run blast as William Woods pulled away. DesBouillons added a two-run shot in the seventh.
Kemper - a South Callaway graduate - was 3-for-3 with four RBI to spark the Owls' 15-hit rampage. DesBouillons went 2-for-3 with three RBI and scored four times, while Nicol finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored.
Aherin was also 2-for-5 with three RBI and scored twice.
Junior starter Chase Feucht gave up three earned runs on only four hits to earn the complete-game victory for William Woods. Feucht (2-3) logged four strikeouts and walked one.
The Owls host a non-conference game against Avila University at 5 p.m. Wednesday.