University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Almost Perfect

4/22/2011 4:57:07 PM

Brittany Weaver

Game One Box
Game Two Box

EDMOND (April 22) – Rachael Steverson came within one weak infield hit of a perfect game in pitching Central Oklahoma to a season-ending 6-0 shutout of Southwestern Oklahoma here Friday as the Bronchos earned a split of the Lone Star Conference North Division doubleheader.

UCO dropped the opener 9-0, but rebounded strong in the finale behind Steverson. The junior right-hander was in control from the start and didn't allow a single base runner until Audra Chambless barely beat the throw on a slow-rolling grounder to second with one out in the seventh inning.

Steverson put that disappointment behind her by striking out the final two Bulldog batters to wrap up the one-hit gem, finishing with just 67 pitches while striking out five.

The Bronchos ended up 25-23 for the season and 7-11 in the LSC North.

“I really didn't know how Rachael was going to do because she said her back was bothering her before the game, but she was just outstanding,” UCO coach Genny Stidham said. “It's disappointing she lost the perfect game on such a hit.

“We had an up-and-down season and never played with the consistency we needed to. We played really well at times and beat some really good teams and then at other times we couldn't seem to do anything right. I'm glad we finished on a good note.”

Steverson and Brittany Weaver made sure of that, with Steverson dominating in the circle and Weaver supplying the bulk of the offense with a two-hit, four-RBI game.

Weaver put the Bronchos in control in the first inning when she drove a ball over the center field fence for a three-run home run. Kayce Raines led off the inning with a single and Megan Whitmire drew a two-out walk before Weaver hammered her fourth homer of the season.

That 3-0 lead was more than enough, but UCO doubled it in the sixth as Weaver and Whitmire had run-scoring doubles and Brittany Geter an RBI single.

The Bronchos were never in the contest in the opener as SWOSU took a 2-0 first-inning lead and then scored seven in the second en route to ending the game in the fifth on the eight-run rule.

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