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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Allie Eicher
Allie Eicher
5
Northern State NORTHERN 8-14
6
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 26-2
Northern State NORTHERN
8-14
5
Final
6
Central Oklahoma UCO
26-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Northern State NORTHERN 0 0 0 2 3 0 0 5 12 0
Central Oklahoma UCO 0 0 3 0 3 0 X 6 9 0

W: McKittrick, Bailey (13-0) L: Fisher, Jamie (2-7)

Game Recap: Softball |

No. 2 UCO Gets Past Wolves

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (March 23) – No. 2-ranked Central Oklahoma scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead and held on from there to slide past Northern State 6-5 Saturday afternoon on the final day of the Hy-Vee Classic.

And in a game where the two teams combined for 21 hits, it was a ground-out that pushed across the deciding run.

Halley Randolph started the winning fifth-inning rally with a one-out walk, JoBi Heath followed with a single to right field and then Carli Jones drove a single up the middle to score pinch-runner McKenzie Carney.

Lexy Dobson laced an RBI double to left-center field to tie the game and Allie Eicher plated pinch-runner Audrie Morrison with a ground-out to give the Bronchos a 6-5 lead.  That's the way it ended, though there were some anxious moments in the seventh, as UCO improved to 26-2.

"We were fortunate to come out on top," head coach Cody White said.  "We didn't play that well and Northern gave us everything we wanted.  They're a lot better than their record (8-14) indicates and can really hit the ball.  But we found a way to get it done and that's what counts."

The Bronchos were outhit 12-9 in the contest.  JoBi Heath went 2-for-3 to lead Central, with seven other players collecting one hit each.

Freshman Bailey McKittrick picked up the pitching win in relief of starter Lauren Gibson.  McKittrick threw 2 2/3 shutout innings in moving to 13-0 on the season.

UCO broke on top 3-0 in the third behind a four-hit attack.  Brighton Gilbert got things going with a one-out single to left field and stole second before scoring the game's first run on Hazel Puempel's single up the middle.

Bailey Thompson then ripped a triple – her fifth of the season – down the right field line to make it 2-0 and Heath's two-out single through the right side completed the scoring.

NSU didn't go away, however, scoring twice in the fourth and three times in the fifth to surge in front 5-3 and set the stage for UCO's game-winning comeback.

The Wolves threatened in their final at bat with a pair of one-out singles, but McKittrick got a strikeout and infield pop-up to close out UCO's fourth one-run win of the season.

The Bronchos return to Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play next weekend with back-to-back doubleheaders at Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State.
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