EDMOND (Feb. 12) – Flawless defense and another solid pitching performance by Kylee Lynch paved the way for No. 20-ranked Central Oklahoma in a 3-1 triumph over Southern Nazarene Saturday night at Gerry Pinkston Stadium on the second day of the UCO Festival.
The Bronchos didn't commit an error and got several fine defensive plays from the infield in winning their third straight to improve to 5-2 on the season. Central wraps up the three-day event Sunday, taking on Cameron at 3 p.m. and Southwestern Oklahoma at 5:15.
Lynch went the distance for the second day in a row, giving up just three hits while walking one and striking out two. The sophomore left-hander improved to 4-0 for the season.
The Bronchos managed just four hits, getting two from Brighton Gilbert, but came up with just enough offense to stave off SNU.
"We didn't do much of anything at the plate, which was disappointing after the way we swung the bats yesterday," said head coach Cody White, whose team waxed Midwestern State 9-0 Friday. "Kylee had a good outing and we backed her up with some good defense."
UCO manufactured three runs in the third inning to snap a scoreless deadlock in the third.
Lexy Dobson led off the inning with a single to left field, with back-to-back infield singles by Shayla Harper and Gilbert loading the bases. Tarin Dubler's sacrifice fly plated the game's first run, Jacee Minter followed with an RBI groundout and Gilbert scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
SNU got a run back in the top of the fourth with a solo home run to cut the deficit to 3-1, but neither team threatened again and that's the way it ended.
The Crimson Storm threatened to take an early lead after putting runners on second and third with no outs, but the Bronchos escaped unscathed. First baseman Mikayla Rutland made a diving grab of a foul pop-up before Lynch got a three-pitch strikeout and a slow roller back to the circle for an inning-ending groundout.
Dubler also made several fine plays from her second base spot, while Harper snared a hard-hit line drive for the final out in the seven inning.
