Skip To Main Content

University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Kyle Crowl
5
East Central ECU 4-30
7
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 19-11
East Central ECU
4-30
5
Final
7
Central Oklahoma UCO
19-11
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
East Central ECU 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 5 12 2
Central Oklahoma UCO 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 X 7 8 0

W: Stephens, Brent (1-0) L: Wyatt Austin (0-1) S: Medina, Ty (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Chris Brannick

Bronchos Outlast East Central

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma came out on top of a back-and-forth affair with East Central Tuesday evening, winning the non-conference matchup at Wendell Simmons Field, 7-5.
 
Central Oklahoma is now 19-11 on the season. The Bronchos play again this weekend, traveling to St. Charles, Mo. for a three-game Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association series against Lindenwood.
 
"We did enough to win today and at the end of the day, that's what matters," UCO head baseball coach John Martin said. "We'd have liked to see a few more runs on the board for us and few less runs for them, but we got the win. We'll take it and move on."
 
Central Oklahoma had eight base knocks Tuesday. The Bronchos were out-hit by East Central's 12. But the Bronchos came through in the end.
 
Brock Ruminer's two-RBI single to right centerfield with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Bronchos the lead and the win.
 
UCO needed to come from behind after falling back, 5-4, in the sixth inning.
 
Dru Barrier led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to left, then moved up to second on TJ Black's sacrifice bunt. Philip Scott, TK McWhertor, and Kyle Crowl then proceeded to draw three straight walks, the latter scoring Barrier and tying the game 5-5.
 
Ruminer stepped up next. He drew a full count, but wasn't going to be a fourth-straight walk. He fouled off the sixth pitch of the at bat before lining up the seventh pitch. His shot in the gap scored Scott and McWhertor with ease.
 
It's the second game-winning hit for Ruminer in three games. He delivered a two-RBI triple in the ninth inning against Missouri Western this past weekend, sending UCO to victory lane.
 
Brent Stephens picked up his first win in a Broncho uniform Tuesday. The junior righty came out of the bullpen in relief of redshirt freshman starter Colton Croft, who threw five innings, allowed four runs on seven hits, and struck out seven.
 
Stephens entered a 4-4 game in the top of the sixth, then gave up a solo home run. He finished with 2 1/3 innings pitched, allowed five hits and just the one run. He struck out three in the effort.
 
Ty Medina followed Stephens out of the pen and threw two innings of no-hit baseball to close out the game and get the save – his first.
 
Central Oklahoma, playing its fourth game in as many days, came out aggressive and the approach paid off early.
 
Schaffer singled on a hard hit ball to first base to lead off the game. Scott then chipped a ball down the right field line for a triple to score Schaffer. On ECU's throw to third, an error by the Tiger second baseman allowed Scott to score on the play and make it 2-0.
 
Crowl stepped up two batters later with one out, and after looking at the first two pitches come in as balls, he took a swing at the next one and smashed the 2-0 pitch over the fence in right center. The home run, Crowl's team-leading sixth of the season, made it 3-0, UCO.
 
East Central got runs back in the top of the second and the top of the third before the Bronchos scored again.
 
Schaffer led off the bottom of the third with a single, moved up to second as Scott drew a walk, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Crowl drew a walk to load the bases, Schaffer then scored on another wild pitch to make it 4-2, UCO.
 
East Central battled back again, but the Bronchos' late rally was too much.
 
Ruminer led UCO at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Schaffer was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Scott, Crowl, Joe Mondragon, and Barrier also had one hit on the day.
 
Central Oklahoma will now shift its focus to Lindenwood. The two are tied in the MIAA standings heading into the weekend. Both teams are 11-7.
 
 
 
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad
Skip Sponsors