Malloy Sparks Bronchos

4/6/2013 5:40:00 PM

Matt Malloy

Box Score

EDMOND (April 6) – Matt Malloy cranked out a pair of long home runs and Central Oklahoma broke out of its offensive slump in a big way with a 12-6 win over Oklahoma Christian Saturday afternoon at Wendell Simmons Field.

Malloy had a massive two-run homer in the fifth inning and drilled a three-run shot in the sixth as UCO took control en route to splitting the two-day home-and-home series and ending a five-game losing streak.

The Bronchos had just nine hits and three runs in their last three games before breaking out against the Eagles, collecting 14 hits in their highest-scoring game since an 18-8 win over Northwest Missouri back on March 3.

“Baseball is the ultimate game about the players,” said head coach Dax Leone, whose team improved to 18-15. “It's a game of savvy and execution of both offense and defense and the game never changes. These last 10 games or so are part of the game that happens to teams, but with our tradition it should never happen at UCO.”

Malloy and Matt Johnson had three hits apiece to lead the offensive onslaught, while Cesar Wong added two. Ethan Sharp earned the pitching win in relief, with staff ace Edgar Lopez throwing two one-hit innings to close out the win.

OC led 3-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, but that's when the Bronchos started to take control.

Johnson reached on a one-out single and Malloy followed with a moon shot to left field to put UCO on top 4-3. The Eagles came back with three runs in the top of the sixth for a 6-4 lead, but the Bronchos answered with five in their half of the inning.

All that damage came with two outs after Cameron Mavroulis drew a walk to keep the inning alive. Jared Wright's high pop up fell in for a single in shallow center field and Tyler Crabtree was hit by pitch to load the bases before Johnson singled to right center to score two runs and tie the game.

Malloy quickly put UCO on top to stay, knocking a 1-1 pitch over the right-center field fence with a three-run shot that made it 9-6.

Eric Garza's run-scoring single in the seventh made it 10-6 and the Bronchos added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth. Cesar Wong had a sacrifice fly and Malloy scored on a wild pitch for the final run after drawing a four-pitch walk earlier in the inning.

UCO returns to Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play Tuesday, hosting Northeastern State for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

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