Box Score

EDMOND (Feb. 27) -- Matt Johnson smacked two home runs and drove in five runs to spark Central Oklahoma to a 12-2 run-rule rout of Washburn Friday afternoon at Wendell Simmons Field.

Mason Justice struggled early, but went 5 2/3 innings to record the win. He loaded the bases with no out in each of the first two innings, but allowed just a single run in each frame. Those were the only runs he yielded as he retired 11 of 12 batters during one stretch.

Tyler Price took over with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth and got Parker Gibson to fly out and preserve UCO's 6-2 lead. Price got through the next two innings allowing just one hit to pick up his first save of the season.

Dylan Tinkler got the scoring started for the Bronchos in the first with a two-run homer over the center field wall that scored Tyler Crabtree for a 2-1 lead and Johnson's solo shot in the fourth broke a 2-2 tie to UCO on top to stay.

The Bronchos scored three unearned runs in the fifth and added three more in the sixth to break the game open. Johnson then ended the game with his three-run blast in the eighth.

UCO improved to 8-3 on the season and 4-3 in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play, while Washburn is 4-3 both overall and in conference play.

The series concludes with a 1 p.m. single game Saturday.