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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Garrett Takamatsu
6
Winner Missouri Southern MSSU 2-0
3
Central Oklahoma UCO 2-1
Winner
Missouri Southern MSSU
2-0
6
Final
3
Central Oklahoma UCO
2-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Missouri Southern MSSU 0 1 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 6 10 2
Central Oklahoma UCO 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 0

W: Shoemaker,Zac (1-0) L: Belden, Brayden (0-1) S: Woods,Cole (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Chris Brannick

Central Comes Up Short Against Southern

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team dropped a 6-3 non-conference contest to Missouri Southern Saturday night in the Edmond First Pitch Classic at Wendell Simmons Field. It was the second game of the day for the Bronchos, who beat Northwestern Oklahoma State 16-3 in eight innings earlier.
 
Central Oklahoma is done with the classic after two days. The Bronchos will host the other six schools for the final day of action Sunday. UCO is 2-1.
 
"We didn't have the offense tonight," UCO head coach John Martin said. "Our pitching wasn't the best but we didn't have any backup on offense. We put ourselves in a tight spot. But I think we had a good opening weekend. We did some things well this weekend to start the season and we're ready to move on from this and get going."
 
Central came out firing Saturday night. After a 10-run performance on Friday night in the season opener, and a 16-run showcase earlier Saturday, the Bronchos wasted no time continuing the offensive onslaught against Missouri Southern.
 
UCO recorded a hit in each of its first three at bats. Zac Freeman singled and Garrett Takamatsu doubled on the first two at bats. Freeman would score on a wild pitch to put the Bronchos on the board. Then Philip Scott smacked a double of his own to score Takamatsu and make it 2-0.
 
Central nearly added more later in the inning. Brett Hopkins drew a one-out walk, and Joe Mondragon reached first on a fielding error by the MSSU first baseman. But Colton Bertus hit into a double play to end the inning.
 
Southern got one back in the second. Then the Bronchos pushed the lead back to two with a run in the third. Takamatsu was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom half of the inning, then moved to third on a Kyle Crowl double. Hopkins grounded out but earned an RBI as Takamatsu crossed home plate and gave the Bronchos a 3-1 lead.
 
Unfortunately for Central, the Bronchos didn't get another hit until the bottom of the seventh inning, and at that point, UCO trailed 6-3.
 
Central did threaten though. Takamatsu was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, then Scott delivered a single through the left side. But Crowl's deep shot to right field wasn't deep enough and MSSU got out of the jam.
 
The Bronchos had a runner on the eighth, but couldn't make it happen. Central went down in order in the ninth.
 
Brayden Beldon made his first career start for the Bronchos Saturday night. He threw four innings and allowed seven hits and four runs. Brayden Nelson gave up the other two in relief duty.
 
Central struck out 15 on the night. The Bronchos recorded 47 strikeouts in three games this weekend.
 
UCO will have Sunday off as the Edmond First Pitch Classic wraps up. The Bronchos will travel to Northwestern Oklahoma State on Tuesday to take on the Rangers for the second time in four days.
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