Bronchos Drop Two At West Texas

CANYON, Texas (Feb. 28) – Central Oklahoma ended a tough two-day road trip with a pair of losses to unbeaten West Texas A&M Sunday afternoon.

The Bronchos, who split two games with No. 24-ranked Lubbock Christian on Saturday, dropped a 6-5 extra-inning decision in the opener before falling 7-3 in the nightcap. UCO is now 7-3 on the season, while the Lady Buffs improved to 12-0.

"We had our chances in the first game but just came up a little short, then we never got anything going in the second one until it was too late," head coach Cody White said. "We played two really good teams this weekend and learned a lot about ourselves. We just have to keep working at getting better every day."

WT took a 1-0 lead in the third inning of the opener and the Bronchos tied it in the fourth on Hazel Puempel's two-out single up the middle that scored Tarin Dubler, who had led off with a single before taking second on Brighton Gilbert's sacrifice bunt.

The Lady Buffs scored four runs in the bottom of that frame to break the deadlock, but UCO got two back in the fifth.

Jacee Minter led off that inning with a walk and Allie Eicher followed with her first homer since 2019, this one a two-run blast that pulled the Bronchos within 5-3.

Central tied it in the top of the seventh with a pair of runs. Minter led off with a single through the left side and pinch-runner Shayleigh Odom went to second on a wild pitch before taking third on Eicher's base hit up the middle.

Audrie Morrison came in to run for Eicher and took second on Halley Randolph's sacrifice bunt before Dubler delivered a clutch two-out single through the left side that scored both runs to pull the Bronchos even again at 5-all.

UCO didn't threaten in the top of the eighth and the Lady Buffs ended the drama with a two-out run-scoring single in the bottom of that inning.

Dubler and Eicher had two hits apiece for the Bronchos, who finished with seven hits.

WT scored in four different innings to build a 7-0 cushion in the second game before the Bronchos got on the board in its final at bat as Taylor McKittrick had a two-run double and Dubler an RBI fielder's choice.

Dubler had two of UCO's five hits in the nightcap.

The Bronchos return to action March 9 when they open Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play with a home doubleheader against Missouri Southern.

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Players Mentioned

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

#5 Brighton Gilbert: IF; 5' 5"; Junior; L/R

#9 Audrie Morrison: OF; 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/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

#6 Shayleigh Odom: OF; 5' 1"; Freshman; L/R

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

#5 Brighton Gilbert
: 5' 5"; Junior; L/R
: IF

#9 Audrie Morrison
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#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

#6 Shayleigh Odom
: 5' 1"; Freshman; L/R
: OF

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

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