Trading Zeros

4/27/2010 7:42:42 PM

Rachael Steverson

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
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EDMOND (April 27) – Strong pitching and stellar defense ruled the day when Central Oklahoma and Southeastern Oklahoma squared off here Tuesday afternoon for a Lone Star Conference North Division doubleheader as the teams traded 1-0 shutouts.

The Bronchos took the opener behind Rachael Steverson's pitching gem, with the Savage Storm pulling out the nightcap in 10 innings. Both runs were scored on sacrifice flies and the teams made just one combined error in the two-game, 17-inning day while finishing with 22 hits.

UCO clinched a runner-up finish in the LSC North with the first-game 1-0 win and dropped to 28-15 overall and 13-6 in the league with the 1-0 second-game loss. The Bronchos go to Durant Saturday for a doubleheader rematch against SOSU in the regular season finale.

“Our pitching and defense was great, but offensively we just couldn't get anything going” UCO coach Genny Stidham said. “We had several opportunities to score and didn't take advantage.”

Steverson threw 131 pitches while scattering seven hits, walking just one and striking out seven in picking up the complete-game win in the opener, improving to 13-5 on the year.

The Bronchos managed just five hits -- getting a pair of doubles from Kacie Edwards to give her a school record-tying 16 for the season – and scored the only run they would need in the third inning.

Kayce Raines had a one-out single to start things and she went to third on Edwards' double off the fence in center field. SOSU intentionally walked Kelsey Tiger to load the bases, but Brittany Geter foiled that strategy with a fly ball to right field that allowed Raines to score the game's only run.

UCO didn't have an error in the contest and got out of a big bases-loaded, one-out jam in the sixth. Second baseman Brittany Weaver scooped up a hard-hit grounder and got a force out at home for the second out, with Steverson then picking up her final strikeout of the game to end the threat.

The Bronchos came up with several big defensive stops in the second game as well, highlighted by third baseman Pebbles Paxson's play on a bases-loaded grounder down the line to end the sixth inning and Raines' running catch in right-center field with two runners on to end the eighth.

But UCO had just four hits in the contest and the Savage Storm finally broke through in the top of the 10th, taking a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly. The Bronchos got a runner on third with one out in their final at bat, but couldn't push across the tying run.

Molly Shivers took the pitching loss despite giving up just six hits in nine innings while throwing 171 pitches.

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