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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Brayden Nelson
7
Southern Nazarene SNU 1-9
17
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 4-3
Southern Nazarene SNU
1-9
7
Final
17
Central Oklahoma UCO
4-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Southern Nazarene SNU 0 0 2 1 0 0 4 7 7 2
Central Oklahoma UCO 2 5 1 3 5 1 X 17 16 1

W: Nelson, Brayden (1-0) L: Payne Maga (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Chris Brannick

Bronchos Crush Crimson Storm

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team run-ruled Southern Nazarene Tuesday night, winning the non-conference matchup at Wendell Simmons Field 17-7.
 
UCO is now 4-3 on the season and returns to MIAA play Thursday at Emporia State. The Bronchos will play two Thursday before a single game to wrap up the series Friday. The series was shifted up in the week due to the projected forecast of rain.
 
Tuesday, Central scored early and often against the Crimson Storm from Bethany. UCO plated runs in each of the six innings it came up to bat. The Bronchos also were solid on the bump, striking out 12 SNU batters.
 
"We played well today and it's just good to see the guys get some confidence going," UCO head baseball coach John Martin said. "Once you see the ball come off the bat and you get some things going, it just builds confidence, and we need more of that. We've got a talented ball club and we're going to have to work really hard this weekend to keep it going."
 
Brayden Nelson got the start for Central Tuesday night. The senior right-handed pitcher from Piedmont, Oklahoma threw just two innings in what was predetermined would be a bullpen game for both squads. Nelson picked up the win after striking out four and retiring each of the first six SNU batters without allowing a hit or a walk.
 
Central struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first. Colton Bertus led off the game with a walk before Joe Mondragon singled to center field. Garrett Takamatsu followed with an RBI double to right center that scored Bertus and made it 1-0. Philip Scott grounded out on the next play but scored Mondragon from third to make it 2-0.
 
UCO then blew it open in the second.
 
Zac Freeman led off with a walk, then stole second and soon advanced to third on a wild pitch. He scored when Ryan Harrel singled down the right field line. After Mondragon was hit by a pitch and Takamatsu walked, Scott smacked a grand slam to left field, pounding a shot that bounced off the scoreboard and gave UCO a 7-0 lead.
 
Central added one more in the third when Harrel's single to right field scored Brett Hopkins, who singled to lead off the inning.
 
In the fourth, the Bronchos plated three more to go ahead 11-3. Hopkins scored Takamatsu on a single to shortstop then Scott scored on a failed pickoff. Freeman scored Hopkins with a single to left to give UCO the eight-run lead.
 
In the fifth, Takamatsu singled to center field to score Mondragon and Bertus. Shane Nixon singled to score Takamatsu, and Freeman singled to score Nixon and Scott, giving Central a commanding 16-3 lead.
 
Kameron Kilchrist's RBI single to left field in the bottom of the sixth made it 17-3.
 
Five Central players finished with multiple hits. Mondragon went 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Takamatsu went 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs. Scott was 2-for-3 with three runs and five RBIs. Hopkins went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. And Harrel was 2-for-3 with a run scored and one RBI.
 
Kilchrist and Nixon both added a hit each to give the Bronchos 16 in the game, a season-high for Central in 2021.
 
Nelson threw just two innings but struck out four and set the tone for the day for the Bronchos. Lawson Isaacs threw one inning and allowed two runs on two hits while striking out one. Jake Terry threw one inning and gave up one run on one hit and also struck out one batter.
 
Brady Smith threw an inning and gave up only a hit while striking out one batter. Ethan Wayland also added another inning and struck out two while not allowing a hit or a walk.
 
Zach Moore did give up four runs on three hits and two walks in the top of the seventh. He did strike out one SNU batter though. Colton Croft finished off the Crimson Storm with two strikeouts in 2/3 innings of work.
 
Central will play at Emporia State this weekend before a non-conference midweek matchup against Oklahoma Christian next Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Wendell Simmons Field.
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