ST. LOUIS – Missouri Baptist baseball did just what it had hoped to do on Saturday against William Woods. The team posted two more conference victories and completed a four-game sweep of the Owls in 4-2 and 6-2 wins at home.
Missouri Baptist (15-5, 9-0) took the final two games of the four-game series on Saturday and extended its winning streak to 10 games.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Spartans trailed early, but took a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning. William Woods posted one more run in the fifth, but did not advance a base runner past first base in either of the final two innings.
Starter Chris Walker threw one inning, but was pulled with an apparent discomfort in his arm. Nathan Utt replaced Walker and made his first career appearance in a weekend game and first in a conference game. Utt proved to be the right man for the job. He pitched five solid innings and allowed one run on one hit with just one walk.
Left fielder Mykol Sostarich received his second start of the year and came through for Missouri Baptist. Sostarich went 2-3 with a double and a homerun while recording two RBI in the game.
Ryan Gunhouse also had a nice game at the plate. The senior from Houston went 3-3 while fellow senior Kyle Turner drove in one run in the game one victory.
In game two, Missouri Baptist sent Mike Avila to the bump and the lefty kept the Owls' hitters off-balance all day. Avila threw eight full innings of three-hit baseball, but allowed five walks in the game.
Missouri Baptist posted a run in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 advantage. The Owls briefly cut into the deficit with a run in the fourth and sixth innings, but the Spartans were able to continue to get timely hitting and a strong outing by Avila.
Third baseman Jo Jo Taylor crushed a 2-0 pitch out of the park to put the Spartans up 3-1. This run proved to be the difference in the game and gave Taylor his third homerun in four games.
Joe Stropp also had a huge day. The junior from Florida belted two homeruns, both solo shots, and finished the day 3-4 at the plate.
William Woods starter Jeremy Ahillen was tagged with the loss. The lefty pitched four innings and allowed the first three runs, though just one was earned. The Owls sent six pitchers to the mound in the game.
Missouri Baptist is scheduled for a doubleheader against St. Ambrose on Tuesday in Iowa. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
