The William Woods University Owls baseball team swept a nonconference doubleheader against College of the Ozarks on Saturday, winning the opener 7-2 and the second game 5-2 at Backer Sports Complex.
William Woods University - taking three of four games in the series - improved to 20-28 on the season. College of the Ozarks fell to 23-26.
The Owls spotted the Bobcats an early 2-0 edge in the first game before tallying a run in the fourth and then going in front to stay with three runs in the fifth. William Woods secured the win by adding three more runs in the sixth.
Senior first baseman Quincy Jones went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs batted in and scored twice as the Owls picked up nine hits. Senior center fielder Tyler Bracht finished 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored, while junior right fielder Russell Strilchuk was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
William Woods junior starter Travis Hennessey earned the complete-game win, giving up two unearned runs on six hits. Hennessey (4-3) had six strikeouts and one walk.
The Owls broke a 2-all tie in the second game and took the lead for good with three runs in the fifth. Strilchuk went 1-for-2 with a solo home run as William Woods totalled seven hits.
Bracht finished 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run, while junior catcher Tim Redford was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Jones went 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Junior starter Tristan Steffens - a Fulton graduate - worked 4 2/3 innings to post the victory for the Owls. Steffens (3-2) allowed two runs - one earned - on six hits and struck out four.
Junior Davin Marcomb threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to tally his first save of the season. Marcomb struck out two and walked one.
William Woods and College of the Ozarks split Friday's doubleheader. The Owls rolled to a 12-1 romp in the opener and dropped the second game to the Bobcats 5-3.
Strilchuk - serving as designated hitter - was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer during a seven-run outburst in the seventh in the first game. Strilchuk finished with four RBI and two runs scored as William Woods piled up 18 hits.
Freshman right fielder Isaiah Gibbs also went 2-for-4 with a triple, three RBI and scored a run for the Owls. Freshman catcher Chase Gibson finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Bracht was 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
Senior left fielder Marquise Doherty went 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice.
William Woods senior starter Taran Oulton surrendered an unearned run while scattering five hits to go the distance for the victory. Oulton (4-7) struck out four and walked one.
The Bobcats broke a 2-all tie in the nightcap by scoring two runs in the top of the fourth and one in the fifth. The Owls tacked on their last run in the seventh.
Jones finished 2-for-4 with an RBI as William Woods out-hit College of the Ozarks 11-10. Senior third baseman Zach Smith was 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored, while Doherty - playing left field - went 1-for-3 with a double and scored a run.
Senior starter Adam Grunden was tagged with the loss for the Owls, who were plagued by five errors. Grunden (1-4) surrendered five runs - only two earned - on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings and struck out three.
William Woods ends the regular season with an American Midwest Conference home series against Williams Baptist (Arkansas) University, opening with a single game at 6 p.m. Friday. The two teams then play a doubleheader at noon next Saturday.