Bronchos Finish Off Sweep Of UNK

KEARNEY, Neb. (April 1) – JoBi Heath's two-run double highlighted a six-run fourth-inning uprising that carried Central Oklahoma to a 6-2 second-game triumph over Nebraska-Kearney Monday afternoon as the No. 2-ranked Bronchos completed a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association doubleheader sweep.

UCO broke a scoreless tie with that big outburst and went on to finish off the Lopers in improving to 28-2 on the season and 10-0 in the conference. The Bronchos, who claimed a 7-4 win in the opener, move on to Hays, Kan. Tuesday for a 2 p.m. twinbill against Fort Hays State.

"That was two good road wins for us," head coach Cody White said. "Kearney has a lot of offensive weapons and gave us a lot of trouble, but we did just enough to come out ahead both times."

The teams were deadlocked until the faithful fourth, when the Bronchos finally broke loose to take control.

Carli Jones started the inning with a walk and Lexy Dobson promptly followed with a double to center field to score pinch-runner McKenzie Carney with the game's first run. Casady Webb – who went 3-for-3 in the opening-game win – followed with a run-scoring single to left-center to make it 2-0.

Brighton Gilbert's one-out double put runners on second and third and Hazel Puempel's RBI fielder's choice scored Webb. Bailey Thompson plated another run with an infield single, then Heath's 20th double of the season pushed across two more to push the lead to 6-0.

The Lopers scored single runs in the fifth and seventh innings, but it wasn't enough to overcome UCO's big lead.

Thompson had two of Central's seven hits. Sydney McLeod started and went the first five innings to pick up the pitching win, improving to 12-2, with Lauren Gibson coming on to throw the final two innings in closing out the victory.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#8 Lexy Dobson: OF; 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R

#25 Lauren Gibson: P/OF; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

#13 JoBi Heath: IF/OF; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#15 Carli Jones: 1B; 5' 7"; Senior; L/R

#22 Bailey Thompson: OF; 5' 4"; Senior; L/R

#7 Casady Webb: UT; 5' 5"; Senior; R/R

#12 McKenzie Carney: UT; 5' 3"; Freshman; L/R

#35 Sydney McLeod: P; 5' 10"; Junior; -/L

#28 Hazel Puempel: UT; 5' 9"; Junior; L/R

#5 Brighton Gilbert: UT; 5' 5"; Sophomore; L/R

Players Mentioned

#8 Lexy Dobson
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#25 Lauren Gibson
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: P/OF

#13 JoBi Heath
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: IF/OF

#15 Carli Jones
: 5' 7"; Senior; L/R
: 1B

#22 Bailey Thompson
: 5' 4"; Senior; L/R
: OF

#7 Casady Webb
: 5' 5"; Senior; R/R
: UT

#12 McKenzie Carney
: 5' 3"; Freshman; L/R
: UT

#35 Sydney McLeod
: 5' 10"; Junior; -/L
: P

#28 Hazel Puempel
: 5' 9"; Junior; L/R
: UT

#5 Brighton Gilbert
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; L/R
: UT