WBU Opens AMC Play with Four Victories

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (3/31/24) - The Williams Baptist softball team opened American Midwest Conference play with four victories over Harris-Stowe State and the University of Pharmacy and Health Sciences over the weekend.

WBU scored a combined 45 runs across all four games while surrendering just one run in its final contest on Saturday afternoon. 

On Friday, the Lady Eagles opened with a 14-0 and an 18-0 win over Harris Stowe State as the team combined to pitch back-to-back no-hit performances. In game one, Morgan Garner tossed all five innings and struck out five for her first no-hitter of the season.

On Saturday the dominance continued with an 8-0 victory in game one over UHSP and a 5-1 victory in the final game of the weekend. 

On Friday of game one at the plate, every starter reached base at least once and eight of the nine batters in the lineup drove in a run. Natalia Watkins led the way with a 2-for-4 performance and three RBIs, Kennedy Johnson and Megan Petty wreaked havoc on the base paths with two steals each.

In game two, Emberlin Caldwell and Maddie Wallace combined to no-hit the Hornet with nine combined strikeouts and just one walk. Caldwell finished with five strikeouts, while Wallace registered four. 

At the plate, Williams Baptist received five RBIs from the shortstop position as Madyson Shoebottom drove in three and Krista Jones, who came in to pinch-hit, drove in two runs. 

In all, the Lady Eagles combined for 45 hits across the two games and allowed just three opposing batters to reach base. 

On Saturday against the Eutectics, Williams continued its dominance both inside the circle and at the plate. Garner tossed another five-inning gem, surrendering just three hits and also collecting two strikeouts. 

At the plate, seven different batters drove in runs, but it was the third inning where Williams did most of its damage.

Shoebottom drove in a run with a triple and Johnson followed her at-bat with a single to push the lead 3-0. Rylee Boshell brought in a run when she reached on an error and Maddi Altenthal brought in the fourth run of the inning with an RBI groundout to push the lead to 5-0.

Petty and Watkins drove in runs in the fourth and Kaylee Wolfe tripled home a run in the fifth for the game's eighth run.

In game two, a three-run second inning and two-run fourth would be more than enough scoring for the Lady Eagles to complete their St. Louis swing with four victories. 

Madison Knight drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double in the second inning and Krista Jones and Altenthal had RBI hits in the fourth inning.

Caldwell pitched the first four innings and struck out two, while Wallace pitched the final three in relief. 

The Lady Eagles return for a non-conference matchup on Tuesday, April 2 at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn.