EDMOND, Okla. – The University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos (31-13, 21-11 MIAA) claimed a pair of 7-2 victories over the Northwest Missouri State University baseball team (20-22, 14-15 MIAA) in Friday's doubleheader at Wendell Simmons Field.
After Northwest took Thursday's series opener, the Bronchos bounced back with two wins to secure the weekend series.
GAME ONE – UCO 7, NORTHWEST 2
Central Oklahoma struck early, plating six runs across the first three innings to take control of game one. Despite a late push, the Bearcats fell 7-2 in the opener.
Sam Wornson led the offense with two hits, while
Alex Bowers and
Ashton Neuman each recorded an RBI. Starter
Ben Haug (4-4) worked 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven while allowing seven hits and seven earned runs.
Northwest loaded the bases in the top of the first following singles by
Ryan Williams and
Kaehukai Young, but the Bronchos wiggled out of the jam. UCO capitalized in the bottom half with two runs and added a four-run third inning to extend the lead to 6-0.
Bowers put Northwest on the board with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, bringing home
Dylan Hufft.
Chester Brooks followed with a ground-rule double in the seventh and later scored on Neuman's RBI two-bagger to cut the deficit to 6-2. However, the Bronchos tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the frame to seal the game-one win.
GAME TWO – UCO 7, NORTHWEST 2
The Bronchos clinched the series with another 7-2 win in the nightcap, despite being outhit 9-to-3 by the Bearcats. Northwest committed three errors, which helped fuel the Bronchos' scoring chances.
Central Oklahoma jumped out to a 4-0 lead after a two-hit, four-run first inning. Hufft and Young led off the second with back-to-back singles, but the Bearcats were unable to capitalize.
In the third,
Jacob Selock led off with a double and was driven in by
Ryan Williams on a sacrifice fly after a single by Brooks.
Dylan Hufft added a second sac fly in the fifth to score Selock again, trimming the lead to 4-2.
Landon Wells (1-2) got the start and allowed just two hits over 4 1/3 innings, striking out three.
Connor Polli took over in relief in the fifth. UCO would add one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to pull away for good.
The Bearcats threatened in the later innings but couldn't chip away at the deficit, as Central Oklahoma closed out the series win.
UP NEXT
The Bearcats look to bounce back on Wednesday, April 23, facing Missouri Western at 5 p.m., in St. Joseph, Mo.
NOTES
The Bearcats are now 8-14 on the road this season…Northwest outscores opponents 33-6 in the ninth innings…Young now holds a 14-game hitting streak to lead the team…Williams tallied a team-best six hits during the three-game series against Central Oklahoma…Neuman drew three walks this weekend to move him to No. 2 in walks drawn in a single season (47).