Box Score

PORTALES, N.M. (April 9) – A late rally fell short as Central Oklahoma dropped an 11-9 Lone Star Conference decision to Eastern New Mexico here late Friday night.

The Bronchos scored five runs in the final two innings to nearly overcome an 11-4 deficit, but ended up leaving 13 runners on base in losing for the fourth straight time.

UCO, now 11-22 on the year and 8-21 in the league, takes on the Greyhounds in a 2 p.m. doubleheader Saturday before the teams wrap up the four-game series with a single nine-inning contest at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The Bronchos took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second inning on an RBI single by Kade Kauk and a sacrifice fly by Taylor Brown, but ENMU came back with two runs in the bottom of that frame to go in front 3-2.

UCO tied it in the third on Arrow Cunningham's run-scoring single, with the Greyhounds taking the lead for good with one run in the fourth before adding two in the fifth for a 6-3 lead.

The Bronchos got four of their 13 walks in the game in the top of the sixth to get a run back to make it 6-4 and then ENMU took control in its next at bat with a five-run volley to seize a big 11-4 advantage.

UCO got back in it in the eight with a four-run outburst, keyed by Brady White's two-run double.  Ryan Schoonover's RBI single in the ninth pulled the Bronchos within 11-9, but the Greyhounds held on.

Kauk went 4-for-4 to lead UCO's 11-hit attack, while Schoonover and Cunningham had two hits apiece.