Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
EDMOND (April 19) – Luke Yost's two-run single keyed a fourth-inning uprising that put Central Oklahoma in the lead and the Bronchos went on to gain an 11-8 first-game victory in earning a Lone Star Conference doubleheader split with Eastern New Mexico here Sunday afternoon.
UCO overcame a 4-0 deficit in pulling out the win in the opener, but committed six errors in dropping a 5-1 decision in the nightcap as the two teams each won twice in the two-day, four-game series.
It was the fifth straight doubleheader split for the Bronchos, who are now 24-26 on the year and 19-21 in the league as they battle for a top-six finish and a berth in the LSC Tournament that runs May 2-5 in Abilene, Texas.
UCO, which ends the regular season schedule next weekend with a four-game LSC home series against Northeastern State, is currently eighth in the standings. Abilene Christian, Cameron and Angelo State have wrapped up the first three spots, with Southwestern Oklahoma (21-19), Tarleton State (20-19-1), ENMU (20-20), Southeastern Oklahoma (18-19) and UCO fighting for the other three berths.
“Again we had a chance to win both games and didn't get it done,” UCO coach Wendell Simmons said. “We pitched well enough to win the second game, but just killed ourselves with all the errors and couldn't overcome that.”
ENMU had a 4-0 lead after the top of the third in the first game, with the Bronchos getting two runs in the bottom of that frame when Casey Bruns stole home on a double steal and Brent Hodge had an RBI single.
UCO then surged in front with a five-run fourth, the big blow a two-run single by Yost. Blake Mitchell and Hodge added run-scoring singles and Ryan Schoonover had a sacrifice fly as the Bronchos took a 7-4 lead, which became a 9-4 advantage in the fifth on Schoonover's two-run double.
The Greyhounds got two runs back in the top of the sixth, but UCO answered back in their half of the inning as Kellin Sheets and Bruns had RBI singles to make it 11-6. ENMU threatened in its final at bat, pulling to within 11-8 and loading the bases before Tyson Fugett came on to get the final out.
Kale Murphree earned the pitching win, giving up six hits and five runs in the first 5 1/3 innings before four relievers finished out the contest. Hodge went 3-for-4 to lead UCO's 10-hit attack.
The Bronchos scored their lone run of the second game in the bottom of the first to tie it when Schoonover singled, stole second, went to third on a groundout and scored on Hodge's two-out infield single.
ENMU broke the deadlock with a run in the fifth, added two unearned runs in the sixth and ended the scoring with one more in the eighth.
Brian Murphy, who was forced out of Saturday's game after three innings when he took a line-drive off his foot, started the game and gave up four hits and four runs (two earned) in the first 5 1/3 innings. Connor Farris went the final 3 2/3, allowing four hits and one unearned run.
The Bronchos were limited to seven hits, two of those by Foshee.
