Baseball 5/18/2018 4:50:00 PM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Stay Alive With Win Over OBU

MAGNOLIA, Ark. - The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team survived and advanced in the NCAA Tournament Friday with a 4-1 win over Oklahoma Baptist in the consolation round at Southern Arkansas' Walker Stadium.

Central's pitching staff was solid and the Broncho fielders were superb as UCO worked seven hits to score its four runs in an all around team effort win. UCO will play Emporia State in the consolation round Saturday at 11 a.m. in another elimination game.

"We hit the ball a little bit better today," UCO head baseball coach John Martin said. "Our pitching was big too, our bullpen was really good. That was key for us. We just did things pretty well across the board and found a way to stay alive."

Kyle Miskovsky paced the Broncho effort at the plate. He went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Xavier Freeman, hitting behind Miskovsky in the lineup, went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. Both Broncho batters had doubles that hit the outfield fence.

Tyler Culver got the start for UCO and was good in 4 1/3 innings pitched. He struck out three, allowed four hits and just one run. Gaylon Viney threw 1 2/3 innings of solid relief work, and Junior Obeso 2/3 behind him.

Austin Lambright then came in and fanned three of four batters faced and Josh Rutland got two fly-outs and a strikeout to end the game and give the Bronchos the win. Rutland picked up his 10th save of the season, moving into a tie for second place in school history for the most saves in one season.

Culver and the other Broncho pitchers got a lot of help from some big plays in the field. Xavier Warren had seven put-outs and one assist on the day in a start at center field. Warren threw a runner out at the plate, and also made a huge diving catch running back in deep center to halt the Bison offense.

Oklahoma Baptist got on the board first Friday, scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second. Jake Gozzo led off with a double before scoring three plays later to make it 1-0 OBU.

UCO responded with two in the top of the fifth. Paul Kropf led off with a single and T.J. Sparr followed with a walk. Cole Sanderson then hit a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over. Anthony Alvarez then reached on an error and the Bronchos would score two on the play. A hard-hit ground ball to second base ate up the Bison infielder and both Kropf and Sparr scored.

Miskovsky led off the sixth with a single and Xavier Freeman knocked his double before Dayne Sommer drew a walk. OBU made a pitching change and the Bison got Kropf to strike out, but Sparr came up and would get two more Broncho runs to come across the plate on another odd play.

Sparr smacked a grounder to the shortstop who got the force out at second, but the second baseman made an errant throw trying to turn the double play. Miskovsky and Freeman scored and Sparr made his way to second and UCO took a 4-1 lead in the game.

So Central lives to play another day. The Bronchos get Emporia State Saturday at 11 a.m.

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Players Mentioned

#16 Anthony Alvarez: 3B; 5' 11"; Senior; R/R

#12 Tyler Culver: P; 6' 3"; Senior; */R

#5 Kyle Miskovsky: 2B; 5' 9"; Senior; R/R

#28 Cole Sanderson: C; 5' 8"; Senior; R/R

#22 Dayne Sommer: C; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#11 T.J. Sparr: IF/OF; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#13 Gaylon Viney: P; 6' 3"; Senior; */R

#1 Xavier Warren: OF; 5' 9"; Senior; R/R

#10 Junior Obeso: P; 5' 10"; Junior; */R

#35 Josh Rutland: P; 6' 3"; Junior; */R

Players Mentioned

#16 Anthony Alvarez
: 5' 11"; Senior; R/R
: 3B

#12 Tyler Culver
: 6' 3"; Senior; */R
: P

#5 Kyle Miskovsky
: 5' 9"; Senior; R/R
: 2B

#28 Cole Sanderson
: 5' 8"; Senior; R/R
: C

#22 Dayne Sommer
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: C

#11 T.J. Sparr
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: IF/OF

#13 Gaylon Viney
: 6' 3"; Senior; */R
: P

#1 Xavier Warren
: 5' 9"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#10 Junior Obeso
: 5' 10"; Junior; */R
: P

#35 Josh Rutland
: 6' 3"; Junior; */R
: P