STEENS, Miss. – The W baseball pounded out 17 hits in the series rubber game versus Eureka College, winning the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) bout, 14-4, at CCA Field. The Owls (19-15, 13-6 SLIAC) had double-digit hit totals versus the Red Devil (8-24, 2-16 SLIAC), in taking two-of three games.
 
EC actually scored first. But it was MUW that would score most often, posting runs in six of the eight innings in the run-rule game. The Owls put up crooked numbers in five of those six productive frames.
 
All nine of The W's starting lineup members had at least one hit in the game, sandwiched by leadoff batter Matthew Windham and No. 9-hole hitter Swayze Rikard. Windham, a senior centerfielder, lead the Owls' assault by going 4-for-5, with a double, and five runs batted in. He scored twice, was hit by a pitch, and was 2-of-2 in steals.
 
At the other end of the order, Rikard went 3-for-4, scoring four runs. Rikard was also 2-for-2 in stolen bases.
 
In between Windham and Rikard, MUW had three other players with multi-hit games. Jay Marbutt was 2-for-5 with a walk and RBI. Baron Brack had a 2-for-4 game, with a walk, run, RBI, sacrifice fly, and two steals. Catcher Michael O'Neill went 2-for-3, walking twice, hit by a pitch, and scoring twice.
 
Three-hole batter Zach Johnson was 1-for-3, to extend his on-going hitting streak to 21 games. Johnson has also reached base in 34-straight games, dating back to the final game of 2025.
 
Three MUW pitchers did a great job of chilling the Red Devils' bats. Starter Chris Ellis went 3.0 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run, to go along with two strikeouts. Campbell McCluney (2-3), the second man up for the Owls, was credited with the win after 4.0 frames, with four hits allowed, two runs, and one "K". Will Carter tossed the eighth, permitting two hits and a run, while striking out two EC batsmen.