STEENS, Miss. – Mississippi University for Women baseball split its doubleheader with Fontbonne University – losing 3-1 and winning 5-1 – in its St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) finale, at CCA Field on Saturday. Dropping the opening game, however, proved costly for the Owls (21-14, 11-7 SLIAC) as it knocked them out of a chance to earn the No. 2-seed – and SLIAC tournament first-round bye – as they were overtaken by Webster University on the last day.
The W will settle for the No. 3 seed, and a road game, when the official brackets are released.
In that first game, starter
Landon Clark gave a strong 6.0 innings of work, but did not figure in the decision. Clark scattered three hits and permitted one earned run. He struck out eight Griffins and walked five.
Brandon Fenimore (0-2) threw the final 3.0 frames as the pitcher of record. Fenimore struck out four and walked one, but gave up two runs in the top of the ninth.
Senior catcher
Avery Benson (1-3) got the Owls only run when he clubbed a one-out solo home run in the second inning, a prodigious blast to right field. That was Benson's ninth homer of 2024, setting a new MUW season record (surpassing Trey Petite's eight in 2021).
MUW had plenty of chances for a different outcome, leaving runners in scoring position in the third, fifth, seventh and ninth innings. In the home half of the ninth, after one out was recorded, the next three Owls' batters drew walks to load the bases. But The W could not capitalize, as the final two outs were recorded.
Johnny Setchfield (2-3) and
Baker Watson (2-4) both had multi-hit games for MUW.
In game two, Watson had another multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3 with three runs batted in. Teammate
Zack Egan was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Robby Canten (2-3) earned the victory. Canten delivered a sterling 6.0 innings, giving up three hits and an unearned run. He struck out five and walked three.
Tyler Temple picked up his first save of the season, with 3.0 innings of hitless and scoreless relief. Temple struck out four and did not walk a batter.
The same two teams will play a single game on Sunday (May 5/12 p.m.), in what will be a non-conference contest on the schedule. It will also be Senior Day for the Owls, with ceremonies taking place pre-game.
