Box Score

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Jared Sterling hurled his second consecutive complete game to lead Central Oklahoma (12-4, 8-4 MIAA) to a 3-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association victory over Southwest Baptist here Saturday afternoon.

The Bronchos won the final three games of the four-game series, improving to 12-4 overall and 8-4 in league play. The Bearcats fell to 5-9 and 5-7 MIAA).

"Today was a total grind in all phases, including the weather," head coach Dax Leone said. "Game time temps were in the 20's with mist and sleet. I can't say enough about Jared. He is a flat-out winner and we played great defense behind him."

This one did not come as easy as the last one for Sterling as SBU had a base runner in every inning except the fifth.

Sterling allowed six hits and walked five as he threw 144 pitches to get through all nine innings. The Bearcats loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but Sterling induced an inning-ending double play to preserve the shutout and the game.

The junior right-hander only got better as the pitch count piled up as seven of his eight strikeouts came after the sixth inning, including two in the ninth. He's pitched 18 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run and lowered his ERA to 0.99 for the season.

Sterling got all the run support he needed in the sixth as Phillip Wilson led off the inning with a single and stole second base before scoring on Matt Johnson's double. Dilon Argo added a two-run home run in the seventh for insurance.

The Bronchos return home to face conference foe Lincoln next weekend, with the first game slated for Friday at 2:30 p.m.