Bombs Away

4/3/2010 5:48:53 PM

Rachel Lowery

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

EDMOND (April 3) – A trio of big bombs lifted Central Oklahoma to a Lone Star Conference North Division doubleheader sweep of Southwestern Oklahoma here Saturday afternoon.

Kayce Raines belted a two-run home run in the fifth inning of the opener to break a 1-1 tie and propel UCO to a 3-1 win, while Molly Shivers keyed a seven-run first-inning uprising in the nightcap with a lead-off homer before Kelsey Tiger's two-run blast in the sixth inning ended a 13-5 run-rule romp.

UCO, which has now won 10 of its last 11 games, improved to 24-10 on the year and 9-3 in LSC North Division play in completing a four-game series sweep of the Bulldogs this week.

“That was two good wins for us,” head coach Genny Stidham said. “Different players are stepping up and delivering big hits for us in key situations and that's good to see.”

Shivers pitched well in the first game, scattering five hits and allowing just one walk while striking out three in going the distance to improve to 13-6 on the year. Megan Bentley and Rachel Lowery had two hits apiece to pace the offense.

SWOSU led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth before the Bronchos tied it when Brittany Geter led off with a single, went to second on Niki Hunt's sacrifice bunt and scored on Lowery's single to left field.

UCO went ahead in the fifth after Shivers hit a one-out double and Raines followed with her second homer of the season, this one a long drive to center field.

The Bulldogs threatened in the seventh when Tori Joyner -- the league's leading hitter with a .481 average entering the day -- came up with runners at second and third with two outs, but Shivers struck her out to end the game.

The Bronchos grabbed control early in the second game, pushing across seven runs on three hits, two errors and two walks in the bottom of the first inning.

Shivers led off the frame with a first-pitch homer to left-center field and UCO also got a two-run single from Lowery, an RBI hit from Bentley and a sacrifice fly from Brittany Weaver in going on top 7-0.

The Bronchos made it 10-0 in the second on a two-run single from Pebbles Paxson and RBI hit by Geter and it was still a 10-run advantage at 11-1 after the third when Tiger had an RBI single.

SWOSU came back with two runs in the fourth and fifth innings to pull within 11-5, but UCO ended it in the bottom of the sixth when Kacie Edwards singled and Tiger followed with a massive shot over the left-center field fence.

It was the 166th career hit for Tiger, moving the senior standout into a tie for fourth place on UCO's all-time list.

Rachael Steverson went the distance for the pitching win in moving to 10-4 on the season, while Tiger's 3-for-4 outing led a 10-hit attack.

The Bronchos return to action Tuesday, hosting West Texas A&M for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

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