MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A trio of Mississippi University for Women players slugged home runs in the pivotal sixth inning to propel an 8-6 win in the 2024 baseball season opener at Huntingdon College. Matthew Windham, Avery Benson, and Johnny Setchfield all slugged solo homers as the Owls (1-0) downed the Hawks (1-1) at Neal Posey Field.
 
Five of MUW's eight hits were of the extra-base variety. In addition to the three bombs delivered by the veterans,  newcomers Alex Telano and Baron Brack each had a doubles in their MUW debut.
 
By the end of the sixth-inning power surge, each of the runs would prove valuable, especially after the Owls had a 5-0 lead evaporate at the time. HC would chase starter Landon Clark, after giving up a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Reliever Chris Ellis got two out, but was touched up for three runs before Jackson Gantt became the third MUW hurler of the frame, getting the elusive final out.
 
The W would add three runs in its half of the seventh. The deciding hit was a two-run single from Jake Williams, driving home Setchfield and Tyler Estabrook to make it 8-5 at the time.
 
Clark, for his 5.0-plus innings pitched, had five strikeouts and just one walk. Ellis surrendered two hits and walked two. Gantt (1-0) had 3.1 innings of one-hit, one-run relief to earn his first "W" at The W.
 
MUW will next face Emory University in Montgomery on Saturday at 12 p.m.