Box Score

EMPORIA, Kan. (March 18) – Central Oklahoma gave No. 5-ranked Emporia State a scare, but came up short in dropping a 3-2 decision here Wednesday.

Connor Farris and Zak Wallis combined to give up just three hits, but two of those – and a crucial error – came in a three-run sixth inning that was enough to give the Hornets the victory.

UCO, which fell to 14-13 with the tough loss, resumes Lone Star Conference play Friday with a 12:30 p.m. doubleheader at Cameron before hosting the Aggies for a noon twinbill Saturday.

“We played well enough to win and just came up a little short,” UCO coach Wendell Simmons.  “Connor and Zac really battled out there on the mound for us and we showed that we can play with anybody, but we've got to find a way to win those games.”

The Bronchos took a 1-0 lead in the fourth with a two-out rally as Casey Bruns singled and Andrew Foshee followed with an RBI double.  That lead held up until the sixth when ESU two hits, two walks and a throwing error led to three runs.

UCO pulled within 3-2 in the eighth as Ryan Schoonover singled, stole second and went to third on Luke Yost's base hit before going home on Brent Hodge's RBI fielder's choice.  The Bronchos had runners on second and third with two outs in the inning, but ESU got out of the jam.

UCO tried to rally in the ninth after Foshee led off with a single and was sacrificed to second, but the Hornets got back-to-back groundouts to end the game.

Farris started and went the first six innings, giving up two hits and four walks while striking out four in taking the tough-luck loss. Wallis allowed just one hit in the final two innings.

Yost, Foshee and Kellin Sheets had two hits apiece to lead UCO's eight-hit attack.