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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Team
1
Fort Hays State FHSU 24-20, 17-9 MIAA
8
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 32-10, 21-5 MIAA
Fort Hays State FHSU
24-20, 17-9 MIAA
1
Final
8
Central Oklahoma UCO
32-10, 21-5 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Fort Hays State FHSU 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 1
Central Oklahoma UCO 3 0 0 2 0 3 X 8 12 1

W: Rivas, Corrina (14-6) L: Chapman,Hailey (12-8)

Game Recap: Softball |

Conference Champs!

EDMOND (May 1) – Jacee Minter and Hazel Puempel smacked back-to-back home runs in the first inning and consecutive doubles in the sixth to highlight a 12-hit assault that carried Central Oklahoma to an 8-1 second-game romp over Fort Hays State Saturday afternoon.

It gave the No. 13-ranked Bronchos a sweep of their final doubleheader of the regular-season and guaranteed UCO at least a share of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association championship along with the No. 1 seed for the upcoming MIAA Tournament.

The Bronchos improved to 32-10 overall and finished 21-5 in league play. Central Missouri is 19-5 in the conference and can earn a tie for the title with two wins over Washburn Monday, though UCO will be the top seed after sweeping a doubleheader from the Mules earlier this season.

It's the second straight MIAA regular season crown for the Bronchos and their fourth since joining the league in 2013.

"We really played well in all phases of the game," head coach Cody White said. "Our hitters were aggressive from the start, which enabled us to get out to a quick lead. We made some tough plays on defense and Corrina (Rivas) threw a good game."

Rivas went the distance in the pitching circle, giving up just three hits and two walks while striking out one. She needed 101 pitches to record her 10th complete game of the season and improved to 14-6.

Shortstop Brighton Gilbert and third baseman Shayla Harper each made a couple of stellar defensive plays, while Lexy Dobson had an outstanding running catch in center field.
 
Harper went 3-for-4 to lead the offense that had its most hits since a similar 12-hit effort against Northwest Missouri on April 9. Minter, Puempel, Gilbert and Tarin Dubler all had two hits apiece.
 
UCO jumped on top quickly, using a pair of big flies to seize a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

Gilbert got things started with a one-out single up the middle and Minter followed with her 12th homer of the season, this one a no-doubt shot to left field. Puempel promptly made it 3-0 with deep drive over the center field wall for her sixth homer.
 
The Tigers got one run back in the third with a two-out base hit after an illegal pitch call on Rivas negated a pop-up that would have ended the inning.
 
Central upped its advantage to 5-1 in the fourth. Taylor McKittrick opened the inning with a line-drive double to right-center field and Dubler singled before McKittrick scored on a throwing error on Gilbert's bunt base hit.
 
That put Dubler on third and Gilbert on second, with Dubler racing home on Minter's groundout to give the Bronchos a four-run cushion.
 
The lead ballooned to 8-1 with three more runs in the sixth, all coming with two outs.

Minter and Puempel had consecutive doubles, with Puempel's banging off the left field wall to score the first run. Harper then hit a rocket line drive down the left field line that just stayed fair for her 15th homer to push the lead to 8-1.
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