Boxscore

EDMOND (May 1) – Dylan Tinkler ignited the Central Oklahoma offense with a two-run home run in the fourth inning and then scored the go-ahead run in the sixth after a lead-off double as UCO held off Nebraska-Kearney, 5-4, in the first game of the best-of-three series in the first round of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Tournament aThursday at Wendell Simmons Field.

The Bronchos improved to 35-15, while the Lopers fell to 30-18.  Game two is set for 2:30 p.m. Friday, with the "if necessary" game set for 1 p.m. Saturday.

"Today was a quality college baseball game all the way around," head coach Dax Leone said. "Both teams played at a high level on both sides of the ball. It was a good team win and I thought Landon Hallam was great for us in a clutch time."

Starter Jared Sterling gave up four runs in the third, but settled down and allowed just two hits until he walked the nine-hole hitter with one out in the seventh.  Leone turned to Hallam, ;who allowed just one base-runner the rest of the way to earn his first save of the season.

Sterling gave up four runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings of work and earned the win to move to 7-3.

UNK jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the third inning thanks to a two-run single from Max Ayoub followed by a two-run double by Jayke Brock.

Tinkler's fifth homer of the season cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the third and Wacey Henderson followed with a double before scoring the tying run on an RBI groundout by Ryan Stoup.

It was Tinkler and Henderson again in the sixth as Tinkler doubled and Henderson singled to put runners on the corners with no outs. Dylan Raper's single then brought in Tinkler with the go-ahead run, which proved to be the game winner.

The winner of the series advances to Springfield, Mo. May 8-10 along with three other first round winners.