MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Senior right-hander
Campbell McCluney picked up the gauntlet of being The W baseball's opening day starter and did not disappoint in his team's 4-2 win over North Carolina Wesleyan University. The Owls' (1-0) win was the first-ever meeting versus the legendary Bishops' (0-1) program.
For MUW, which is in just its ninth year of existence, topping a team with N.C. Wesleyan's pedigree is a feather in the team's cap. After all, the Bishops' program has been around since 1961, amassed more than 1,300 wins, made 23 NCAA post-season appearances, won 12 regional titles and subsequent World Series appearances, and boasts two NCAA III national championships on its ledger.
So, yeah, Friday was a good day for the MUW program.
And McCluney played a huge part of that success. McCluney tossed 6.0 innings of two-hit, two-run ball. He struck out 11 Bishops (the second-most Ks in a game in school history) and walked just four. McCluney tossed 93 pitches in his stint. He was lifted in favor of
Josh Mackey in the seventh, after permitting a walk and single, both of which would score.
Mackey would close out the final three frames to earn the save. Mackey allowed three hits and no runs. He struck out four and walked three.
Zack Egan's (1-4) RBI double in the fifth plated teammate
Matthew Windham (1-4) with the Owls' first run of 2026. The W added another unearned run in the home half of the fifth to take the 2-0 lead.
MUW newcomer
Chase Marshall (2-2) used his legs to add the Owls' third run of the day. After drawing a leadoff walk, and with teammate
Swayze Rikard at the plate, Marshall went all the way to third on a passed ball. He then came home on another passed ball, with Rikard drawing a walk of his own.
After NCWU's pair of runs in the top of the seventh, MUW got a much-needed insurance run in the bottom half of the inning.
Zach Johnson singled and, with one out, took second on another passed ball and advanced to third on a ground out. Then, with Marshall at bat, Johnson stole home to make it the 4-2 final score.
The W will play a twinbill on Saturday. The Owls face North Park University (Illinois) at 10 a.m. and host Huntingdon College at 4:30 p.m.
