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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Colton Croft
5
Arkansas Tech ATU 2-5
7
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 5-2
Arkansas Tech ATU
2-5
5
Final
7
Central Oklahoma UCO
5-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Arkansas Tech ATU 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 1 0 5 9 0
Central Oklahoma UCO 2 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 X 7 12 0

W: Croft, Colton (1-1) L: Drake Norton (0-1) S: Rutland, Josh (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Chris Brannick

Bronchos Sweep Arkansas Tech

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team swept Arkansas Tech following a 7-5 win Sunday in the final of three non-conference games at Wendell Simmons Field this weekend.
 
The Bronchos, who also beat Drury on Saturday, went 4-0 on the weekend to improve to 5-2 overall this season.
 
"We were fortunate to get a big lead early and our pitching was really good early as well," UCO head baseball coach John Martin said. "But we really didn't play very well today. We made a few mistakes that cost us some runs and we are fortunate to get out of here with a win. And we'll take it and move on to the next one."
 
Colton Croft, a redshirt freshman from Broken Arrow, Okla., earned his first career win Sunday. The youngster righty threw six innings of seven-hit baseball, allowing four earned runs on the day. He also struck out four batters.
 
Croft cruised early. He needed only 28 pitches to get through the first nine batters from Arkansas Tech, and 29 pitches to get through four innings of play. He finally gave up a pair of triples, just the second and third hits of the day for ATU, in the fifth inning. He allowed two more runs in the seventh before his day was done.
 
Junior Obeso and Josh Rutland had his back out of the bullpen. Obeso allowed one hit and one run to score in his two innings of work. Rutland earned a save after pitching the ninth. He struck out one of the four batters he faced.
 
UCO jumped out to an early lead thanks to a Taylor Avila two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. After Paul Kropf drew a two-out walk, Avila swung hard at a pitch and drove over the fence in right center.
 
The Bronchos scored another run in the bottom of the second inning. Brock Ruminer led off with a ground-rule double to left center, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Dru Barrier, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by TK McWhertor to make it 3-0, UCO.
 
In the third, Central Oklahoma kept its foot on the gas. Kropf walked again, and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Avila drew a walk to put two runners on base. Both moved over a base after another wild pitch, then Brice West scored Kropf with a ground out to the ATU shortstop. After Ruminer drew a walk for himself, then stole second, Barrier smacked a single through the left side and scored Avila and Ruminer to make it 6-0, UCO.
 
Three-straight singles in the bottom of the fourth inning made it four-straight innings with a run for the Bronchos. Kyle Crowl singled to third base, then Kropf to center, before Avila hit an RBI single through the left side to score Crowl and make it 7-0.
 
UCO wouldn't score again though. The Bronchos only got four more hits the rest of the game. Fortunately for Central, the pitching finished off the win.
 
Avila led the Bronchos at the plate with a 3-for-4 day. He had the two-run home run and another RBI. Ruminer and Ryan Harrel both went 2-for-3 on the day with Ruminer scoring twice. Avila, Kropf, and Ruminer each had two runs scored for the Bronchos.
 
UCO is off Monday before a trip to Durant, Okla. to take on Southeastern Tuesday afternoon. The Bronchos will then return home to host Southwestern Oklahoma on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
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