Central Earns Split with Lady Chaps

LUBBOCK, Texas (Feb. 27) – Allie Eicher and Hazel Puempel had three hits apiece to spark Central Oklahoma in an 8-6 second-game victory that gave the Bronchos a doubleheader split with No. 24-ranked Lubbock Christian Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Chaps rolled to an 8-0 run-rule win in the opener before UCO rebounded behind a 12-hit attack to pull out the clutch second-game triumph. The Bronchos, now 7-1 on the season, move on to Canyon, Texas Sunday for a noon twinbill against West Texas A&M.

"This is a tough place to play, so we're happy with the split," head coach Cody White said. "They took it to us the first game, but I was really proud of the way our players responded. We came out and were determined to get that second game."

Eicher and Puempel both went 3-for-4 in the nightcap, while Lexy Dobson added two hits as UCO scored seven earned runs against an LCU team that entered the contest with a miniscule 0.93 team earned run average.

UCO grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first in the nightcap on Dobson's run-scoring single. Taylor McKittrick reached on a two-out error and Puempel followed with a single to right field before Dobson ripped a base hit up the middle.

The Bronchos pushed that to a 5-0 advantage in the second behind two-run hits by McKittrick and Puempel.

Eicher led off the inning with a single up the middle, Amelya Huggins was hit by pitch and Tarin Dubler drew a one-out walk to load the bases. McKittrick came through an out later with a double to center field that scored two and Puempel followed with a single to drive in two more.

LCU got one run back in the bottom of the second and scored three more in the third to make it 5-4.

Central pushed its lead to 7-4 in the fifth when Jacee Minter followed Eicher's two-out single with a two-run home run – the first of her collegiate career – to left field. The Lady Chaps responded with two runs in the sixth to pull within 7-6.

The Bronchos added an insurance run in the top of the seventh after Puempel led off with a single up the middle, went to second on a groundout and scored on an error.

Corrina Rivas went the distance to pick up the pitching win, giving up eight hits.

LCU took control early in the first game, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first and three more in the second. The Lady Chaps added a single run in the fourth and then ended the game on the eight-run rule with a lead-off homer in the fifth.

The Bronchos managed just four hits, getting once each from Dubler, Minter, Eicher and Halley Randolph.

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Players Mentioned

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

#10 Allie Eicher: IF; 5' 7"; Junior; L/R

#28 Hazel Puempel: OF; 5' 9"; Senior; L/R

#17 Halley Randolph: C; 5' 9"; Senior; R/R

#4 Tarin Dubler: IF; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#13 Corrina Rivas: P; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#25 Amelya Huggins: IF/C; 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R

#12 Jacee Minter: OF; 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R

#23 Taylor McKittrick: IF; 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

#10 Allie Eicher
: 5' 7"; Junior; L/R
: IF

#28 Hazel Puempel
: 5' 9"; Senior; L/R
: OF

#17 Halley Randolph
: 5' 9"; Senior; R/R
: C

#4 Tarin Dubler
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: IF

#13 Corrina Rivas
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P

#25 Amelya Huggins
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF/C

#12 Jacee Minter
: 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R
: OF

#23 Taylor McKittrick
: 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R
: IF