WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. - The WWU Lady Owls combined to tally only two runs on nine hits in being swept 2-0 and 5-2 by the No. 5 Williams Baptist Lady Eagles in Friday's American Midwest Conference opener.
The losses overshadowed a pair of sharp outings from William Woods University pitchers Allison Waskow and Madison Ausfahl, who limited Williams Baptist College to a total of 10 hits.
The Lady Owls (14-11) were blanked on three hits in the opener. Sophomore second baseman Dacrie Depping - a Fulton graduate - reached on an infield single in the top of the fourth inning, sophomore shortstop Ari Arnold led off the sixth with a double and senior right fielder Brailee Schulte singled to start the seventh.
The Lady Eagles broke the scoreless tie when they put up single runs in the fifth and sixth.
Waskow (2-6), a junior, allowed the two earned runs while scattering five hits in a complete-game effort. She struck out seven and walked one.
Williams Baptist took a quick lead in the second game by producing a run in the first, but William Woods tied the game in the fourth on sophomore third baseman Amanda Bouchey's two-out, solo home run. Senior center fielder Hannah Campbell then put the Lady Owls in front 2-1 by delivering another two-out, solo shot in the fifth.
The Lady Eagles, though, countered with two runs in their half of the fifth to regain the lead for good. Williams Baptist capped off its win by tacking on two more runs in the sixth.
Senior first baseman Madison McCormick was 1-for-2, while Bouchey, Campbell, Arnold, senior designated player Beth Begemann and junior right fielder Lindsay Van Tress were each 1-for-3 as William Woods out-hit the Lady Eagles 6-5.
Ausfahl (4-2) - a sophomore from North Callaway - allowed five earned runs on only five hits in 5 2/3 innings. She posted three strikeouts and issued a walk.
The Lady Owls travelled to Henderson, Tenn., on Saturday for an AMC doubleheader with Freed-Hardeman University. WWU was swept, 4-3 in 8 innings and 5-0 in game two.