Saint Mary baseball edged by William Woods

From Staff Reports

The Saint Mary baseball team came close on two occasions this weekend to nab their first win of the young season, but they came up just short and were swept in a pair of doubleheaders at William Woods University.

The Owls beat USM 4-1 and 12-1 on Saturday afternoon; then on Sunday afternoon they came back from a two-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth to win game one 3-2 before taking game two 9-1.

The Spires (0-7) had game one close each day, also trailing just 2-1 in the sixth inning on Saturday, but head coach Rob Miller said they had trouble getting hits in the right situation all weekend and that his squad was understandably frustrated heading into game two each day. It was a big inning that did them in each time, as they allowed WWU (10-5) to score six in the fourth inning of game two Saturday and seven in the fifth of game two Sunday.

“We’re still kind of trying to figure out who we are,” Miller said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever lost seven in a row. ... I think we’ve got a talented team, and we’ve got all the tools in the world ... but they’re the best team we’ve played, I think.”

Leavenworth graduate Charlie Mildner and Pleasant Ridge graduate Josh Barnes combined for a solid outing on the mound in game one Saturday for USM. They gave up only six hits and three earned runs, and Barnes went on to have a solid day at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk in Saturday’s twin bill.

Another PR alum, Devin Hupp, also had a good weekend. He had a hit in all four games, scored all three USM runs on Sunday, and pitched four innings allowing just two runs in game two Sunday.

“He has done a great job, and he’s still learning,” Miller said of Hupp. “He’s still a raw player that’s just learning his game, but he’s pretty aggressive. ... And Charlie pitched a great game, and we played good defense behind him.”

Timely hits eluded USM in each game, though. Eight of their nine starters got a hit in game two Saturday, but they were spaced apart to the effect of only one run. In game one Sunday they had seven hits, eight walks, and four sacrifice bunts, but they were caught stealing three out of four times and stranded 12 runners.

“We’re totally struggling to get the timely hit right now...” Miller said. “It’s really affecting the way we do some stuff, but it’ll come around I think. That pitcher (Sunday game one starter Eric Switzer), he was a left-hander, he wasn’t bad."

USM still had a chance to win game one Sunday after the Owls scored three to move ahead in the sixth. Rodney Spillman led off the seventh with a single, and Matt Heady kept the game alive with two out by coming back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk, but the Spires left runners on first and second to end the game.

In the final game USM ran into Owls’ ace Alex Cann, who Miller said was throwing over 90 MPH with a great slider. He threw five innings of shut-out ball on two hits and one walk with six strikeouts.

USM will play again today (Tuesday), weather permitting, at 3 p.m. against Kansas at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence. Miller said he has seen some good things from his team heading into that game, and it will be a fun test to face a Division-I opponent.

“It’s always fun to go over there,” Miller said. “We just play hard, that’s all we can do.”