COLUMBUS, Miss. – The Mississippi University for Women baseball team advance their winning streak to five games, taking the doubleheader against Rust College 12-4 and 7-3. The Owls improve their record to 5-3 on the season in the sweep of the Bearcats.

GAME ONE (W, 12-4)

The game started off slow for the both teams with two scoreless innings to begin the doubleheader.

The Owls were the first to make it to the board with five runs scored in the bottom of the third. Prince Tolbert hit a two-RBI triple to allow Trey Petite and Brandon Jones to collect the first two runs, then Tolbert was then able to run home on a pass ball. Jackson Norris-Jones singled to allow Heath Ford to score, then scored on an error by the first baseman.

Rust grabbed their first run of the game in the top of the fourth then collected two more in the top of the fifth.

The Owls answered the Bearcat's scoring effort in the bottom of the fifth with Sumpter Bass running home on a ground ball from Johndavid Birdsong to put the score at 6-3.

MUW continued to fight and increased its lead to 12-3 in the bottom of sixth with six runs scored. Logan Gruetter scored on a wild pitch, Tolbert doubled to send Jones home, Ford tripled to send Bass and Tolbert home, Norris-Jones singled to allow Ford to score, and Nick Brooks doubled to send Birdsong home.

Rust was able to score one more run in the top of the seventh but the Owls took the victory 12-4.

Tolbert, Ford, and Norris-Jones led the Owls offense with five runs between them and seven RBIs. Tolbert went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs and three RBIs, Ford went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs and two RBIs, and Norris-Jones went 2-for-3 at the plate with one run and two RBIs.

On the mound, Drew Williams collected his second pitching as an Owl to go 2-1 on the season. The freshman righty pitched the entire 7-inning game for seven hits against, four earned runs, and two strikeouts.

The Owls beat out the Bearcats with 12 runs on 10 hits and errors while holding Rust to four runs on seven hits and four errors.

GAME TWO (W, 7-3)

Will Peters, freshman utility player and pitcher, collected his first win on the mound to advance to 1-1 on the season. The Tallassee, Ala. native pitched the entire 7-inning game for seven hits against, three earned runs, and 11 strikeouts.

Damain Benefield and Bobby Neal did their part at the plate to lead the Owls offense. Benefield went 2-for-3 with two runs and Neal went 2-for-3 for two runs and two RBIs.

Noah Angles also had a great night at the plate with a 1-for-2 appearance with four RBIs.

The Owls started game two behind the Bearcats with Rust collecting the first run of the game in the top of the first.

The W answered in the bottom of the second with three runs of its own for a 3-2 score. Angles doubled to send Eiland Cleckler, Lukas Murphy, and Neal home to record three RBIs.

Rust scored an additional run in the top of the third but with two runs scored in the fifth, the Owls expand their lead to 5-2. Neal singled to allow Benefield to score and Neal scored on a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the fifth, a loaded bases walk allowed Benefield to score and Bass scored a run on an error by the pitcher to put the Owls up 7-2.

The Bearcats scored their final run of the game in the seventh on a homer but it was not enough to take game two and prevent the Owls sweep.

UP NEXT
The Owls will be back in action when they travel to Lane College on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The W will take on the Dragons in doubleheader play with the first pitch scheduled for noon.

To keep up with The W baseball and the rest of Owls athletics, visit OwlsAthletics.com and follow the Owls social media pages at The W Athletics on Facebook and @thewathletics on Instagram and Twitter. Show your support for your favorite team by using the #WinEveryDay and #GoOwls.