EDMOND (Feb. 7) – Hazel Puempel ripped a run-scoring double in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Central Oklahoma to a dramatic 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Southeastern Oklahoma Friday evening on the first day of the UCO Softball Invitational.
The Bronchos overcame a 3-0 deficit in the final two innings to pull out their second one-run win of the day.
UCO scored three runs in the sixth to pull into a 3-3 tie and then won it in the seventh without making an out.
Brighton Gilbert led off the inning with a double to left-center and the Savage Storm intentionally walked Halley Randolph before Puempel came through with the game-winner.
The senior standout drove a full-count pitch down the left field line for her third opposite-field double of the game – tying a single-game school record in the process -- and the speedy Gilbert glided home with the tie-breaking run.
"Our girls kept battling and just refused to lose," head coach Cody White said. "We've been struggling offensively, but finally got the bats going. We found a way to get it done and I'm really proud of the way the girls hung in there."
UCO, which trimmed Southwestern Oklahoma 3-2 in its first game of the day, improved to 3-5. The Bronchos play twice more again Saturday and Sunday.
Puempel and Haley Pomplun both went 3-for-3 to lead Central's 10-hit attack, while Audrie Morrison added two hits. Corrina Rivas went the distance in the circle to pick up the pitching win, giving up seven hits and two earned runs.
The Savage Storm scored two runs in the top of the first on two bunt singles, an error and a sacrifice fly and UCO struggled early to get any offense going.
The Bronchos had a good scoring chance came in the third when Pomplun drove a one-out double to right-center and Morrison followed with an infield single, but SOSU got the next two outs to escape trouble.
Southeastern pushed its lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth and UCO threatened in the bottom of that frame, but failed to take advantage of a bases-loaded, no-out opportunity.
The Bronchos finally broke through in the sixth, using the long ball to tie the game.
Puempel started things with a lead-off walk and Amelya Huggins quickly got UCO back in the game when she drilled a two-strike pitch over the left-center field wall for the first homer of her Broncho career – and the first of the season for the Bronchos.
Pomplun continued her big game later in the inning with a massive blast to left field that tied the game. It was also the first homer of Pomplun's two-year UCO career.
That tied it up and set the stage for the dramatic finish.
