Baseball: Blue Mountain (Miss.) sweeps William Woods

NEW ALBANY, Miss. - The WWU Owls combined for just 11 hits in being swept 6-4 and 10-3 by the Blue Mountain Toppers in Friday's season-opening doubleheader, spoiling head coach Brock Nehls' debut.

William Woods University finished with five hits in the first game as the two teams produced all of their scoring in the first three innings. The Owls took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on junior catcher Josh Nicol's RBI single, but Blue Mountain College broke out for three runs in its half of the inning to go in front.

Junior right fielder Nolan Aherin's RBI groundout in the second brought William Woods within 3-2, but the Toppers put up three runs again in the bottom of the inning to take control. The Owls added their other two runs in the third on senior third baseman Jansen Smith's RBI double and sophomore designated hitter Zach Smith's RBI groundout.

Jansen Smith went 1-for-2 with a run scored and senior second baseman Ryan Phillips finished 1-for-2 and scored twice. Nicol, Aherin and senior center fielder Matt Priest were each 1-for-3.

William Woods junior starter Dany Paradis-Giroux lasted just 1 1/3 innings in being tagged with the loss. Paradis-Giroux surrendered all six runs - only three earned - on four hits, issued three walks and struck out one.

The Owls collected six hits and were plagued by four errors in dropping the nightcap. William Woods was already down 5-0 when it finally tallied a run in the sixth on junior first baseman Tyler Cunningham's RBI single.

Trailing 10-1, the Owls tacked on their last two runs in the ninth. Senior pinch-hitter Konrad Kemper - a South Callaway graduate - delivered a one-out, RBI double, moved to third on an interference call and scored on senior pinch-hitter Alex St. Pierre's groundout to short.

Kemper and Jansen Smith each finished 1-for-1, while Cunningham and junior shortstop Glen DesBouillons - who doubled - both went 1-for-4. Junior left fielder Patrick Dillon finished 1-for-2 and Priest was 1-for-3.

Senior starter Ryan Schmidt worked 3 1/3 innings in taking the loss for William Woods. Schmidt allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits, struck out two and walked one.