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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Dylan Hall
3
Emporia State ESU 9-8, 6-4 MIAA
4
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 13-6, 6-4 MIAA
Emporia State ESU
9-8, 6-4 MIAA
3
Final
4
Central Oklahoma UCO
13-6, 6-4 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Emporia State ESU 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 3 7 1
Central Oklahoma UCO 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 X 4 5 0

W: Hall, Dylan (4-2) L: Cairns,Tanner (2-1) S: Rutland, Josh (5)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Chris Brannick

Bronchos Edge Emporia In Series Opener

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team beat Emporia State 4-3 Friday in the first of three Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association games this weekend at Wendell Simmons Field.
 
The Bronchos, ranked 18th in the nation, improved to 13-6 on the season with the win and are now 6-4 in the MIAA. ESU is 9-8 overall and 6-4 in league play.
 
"We didn't hit the ball very well tonight, but we had a really good day on the mound from our starter and our bullpen and we did just enough to win," UCO head baseball coach John Martin said. "That's always good when you don't get a lot of hits, to have the guys back you up on the mound."
 
Central Oklahoma scattered just five hits Friday night, and only had one RBI off of four runs scored. But the Bronchos struck out 17 Emporia batters to keep the opponent behind. The 17 Ks by the Broncho staff is tied for the fourth-most in one game in school history. UCO also struck out 18 in a game earlier this season.
 
ESU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, but the Bronchos responded with a run in the bottom half to tie the game. The Hornets did not lead again.
 
TK McWhertor smacked a one-out double over the right fielder's head and as TJ Black reached on an error by the ESU second baseman, McWhertor found his way home to tie the game, 1-1.
 
The Bronchos scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Brock Ruminer earned a one-out walk, then, after narrowly escaping a pickoff at first, made his way to second on a passed ball and third on a wild pitch. He then trotted home after Kyle Crowl singled to center field.
 
Crowl also scored in the inning. He moved to third on a Paul Kropf single to right center, then scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1, UCO.
 
ESU got back within a run in the top of the seventh, but the Bronchos responded again.
 
Brice West led off the bottom of the seventh with a single that snuck past the ESU third baseman. Dru Barrier then laid down a bunt that got West to second, and McWhertor grounded out to the shortstop to get West to third. ESU starter Tanner Cairns then threw his fourth wild pitch of the game, allowing West to score and put UCO ahead 4-2.
 
ESU once again responded in the eighth with a run to cut the lead to 4-3. But UCO would hold off Emporia in the end.
 
Junior Obeso, who allowed one run in the eighth, struck out three batters in the inning. Josh Rutland then came on in the ninth and struck out two to close out the win and earn his fifth save of the season. Rutland now has 16 career saves, one short of tying the school record.
 
Dylan Hall picked up the win for the Bronchos Friday. The junior righty struck out 10 batters in six innings of work, allowing four hits and one run. He only walked one batter as well. Brayden Nelson threw one inning of relief work ahead of Obeso and struck out two in his time on the bump.
 
Central Oklahoma and Emporia State play Saturday at 3 p.m. in the second game of the series. The teams wrap up the MIAA weekend Sunday at 1 p.m.
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