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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Team
2
Southern Arkansas SAUSB 37-17
3
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 46-0
Southern Arkansas SAUSB
37-17
2
Final
3
Central Oklahoma UCO
46-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Southern Arkansas SAUSB 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 6 2
Central Oklahoma UCO 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 9 1

W: McKittrick, Bailey (6-1) L: Kiana Pogroszewski (15-7)

Game Recap: Softball |

Bronchos Walk Off SAU On Minter Hit

EDMOND (May 12) – Jacee Minter has been Central Oklahoma's best clutch hitter all season and she proved it again Thursday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Division II Central Regional II Tournament at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.

Minter capped a 3-for-4 performance at the plate with a two-out, run-scoring single in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel the No. 8-ranked Bronchos past Southern Arkansas 3-2. It was the 35th two-out RBI of the season -- and 69th overall -- for the sophomore standout.

UCO improved to 46-10 with the thrilling win and moved into Friday's 1 p.m. winner's bracket game against No. 9 Augustana, which edged Arkansas Tech 1-0 in the other first-round match-up. ATU and SAU meet in a loser's bracket game at 3:30, with another elimination contest set for 6 p.m.

"That was a tough ball game, but we found a way to get it done," head coach Cody White said. "We had some good at bats in the seventh inning and Jacee came through with a huge hit for us. Survive and advance was the goal and we accomplished that."

It took final-inning heroics, but the Bronchos are indeed moving on.

Mikayla Rutland led off the seventh with a sharply-hit single up the middle and Tarin Dubler came through with a two-out single to shortstop, with an error allowing both runners to advance a base.

That brought up Minter, who ripped a single through the left side to send a grinning Rutland racing home for the winning run.

UCO finished with nine hits, led by Minter's 3-for-4 outing. Brighton Gilbert added a pair of singles.

Bailey McKittrick earned the pitching win, coming on to get the final three outs of the seventh inning after the Muleriders had tied the game on a solo home run. Kylee Lynch gave up two runs on six hits in six innings of work.

The Bronchos broke on top in the fifth, snapping a scoreless tie on Gilbert's RBI single. Rutland walked to lead off, went to second on an error and took third on Shayla Harper's groundout before Gilbert slapped a hit through the left side.

SAU tied it in the top of the sixth, then Central went back in front in the bottom of the frame.

Minter got things going with a lead-off single to right field and Terin Ritz delivered a two-out RBI double, roping a shot down the left field line to give the Bronchos a 2-1 advantage.

The Muleriders pulled even with their solo homer in the top of the seventh, but UCO was up to the task in its final at bat.
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