COLUMBIA - The seventh-seeded William Woods Lady Owls pulled off the upset Wednesday to begin pool play in the American Midwest Conference Tournament, knocking off second-seeded Central Baptist (Ark.) 8-3 at Antimi Softball Complex.
William Woods used a six-run fourth inning to power past the Mustangs, ranked No. 25 in the NAIA.
With the win, William Woods improved to 21-23. Central Baptist fell to 33-16 with a 6-3 loss against third-seeded Lindenwood-Belleville later Wednesday in an elimination game.
Emily Robinett put William Woods on top 1-0 in the top of the first inning with a two-out single that scored Emma Walker.
The Lady Owls sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth inning.
Anna Counts started the scoring with a bases-loaded walk, then Walker doubled to right-center field, scoring Bri Devellano and Dacrie Depping - a Fulton graduate - to make the score 4-0.
The next batter, Alli Massey, followed with a two-run double to bring home Counts and Walker. Celeste Sermeno then singled to score Massey an increase the Lady Owls' lead to 7-0.
Sermeno also had an RBI double in the sixth to score Massey for William Woods' final run.
Central Baptist scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth and another run in the sixth.
Brittany Roady was the winning pitcher for the Lady Owls. In seven innings, she gave up three runs on six hits and finished with one walk and two strikeouts.
William Woods finished the game with 12 hits. Sermeno went 3-for-4, adding another single, while Walker, Massey, Robinett and Depping each had two hits.
Later Wednesday night, William Woods learned it had four player honored on the All-AMC softball team.
Walker was selected to the All-AMC first team, while Counts, Massey and Roady all made the All-AMC second team.
William Woods will play sixth-seeded Williams Baptist at 11 a.m. today. The loser of that game will play Lindenwood-Belleville in an elimination game later in the day.