Boxscore
EDMOND (April 25) -- Jake O'Brien was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning and Central Oklahoma kept its conference championship hopes alive with an 8-7 victory over No. 17-ranked Central Missouri Friday afternoon at Wendell Simmons Field.
The Bronchos improved to 34-11 on the season and 26-11 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play, while UCM fell to 32-14 and 26-8. UCO must win the remaining three games in the series to earn a share of the title and the No. 1 seed for next week's conference tournament.
The Bronchos broke a 6-all tie in the bottom of the seventh to take a 7-6 lead and relief ace Phillip Wilson came on to get the final six outs. An error gave the Mules a little life in the top of the eighth and a single by Tony Sandifer brought home the unearned run to tie the game at seven.
UCO, however, regained the lead in the bottom of the inning without the benefit of a hit. Dylan Raper led off with a walk, Wilson was intentionally walked and Cesar Wong sacrificed the runners over before Matt Johnson was given a free pass to load the bases.
The Mules then beaned O'Brien on the shoulder to plate Raper for what turned out to be the winning run. The next two hitters struck out and the Bronchos couldn't add to the lead.
UCM led off the top of the ninth with a single, but Wilson retired the next three hitters to earn the win and improve his record to 3-1 on the season despite blowing just his second save in 10 opportunities.
Wilson also went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the 12-hit attack. UCO's 5-8 hitters did most of the damage, going a combined 8-for-16 with three runs batted in as Dilon Argo, Brad Lamberti, Josh Ingram and Wacey Henderson all had two hits.
The Bronchos scored first in the bottom of the first on an RBI double by O'Brien, but quickly gave it up as UCM scored three unearned runs in the top of the second.
Henderson plated Ingram with an RBI double and scored himself on a wild pitch to tie the game at three in the second before the Mules retook the lead on a two-run homer by Hunter Johnson in the third. Brad Jelinek added a solo shot in the fourth to give UCM a 6-4 lead.
The Bronchos tied the game in the fifth on consecutive run-scoring hits by Lamberti and Ingram, giving the Bronchos the opportunity to win the game.
UCO's bullpen then came on in relief of Ricky Reeves and was able to limit the Mules offense. Joe Hollowell pitched two scoreless innings despite walking three and Landon Hallam also pitched a scoreless inning before turning it over to Wilson.
The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader set to start at 1 p.m.
