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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Amelya Huggins
Amelya Huggins
1
Nova Southeastern NSUS23 43-15
5
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 53-7
Nova Southeastern NSUS23
43-15
1
Final
5
Central Oklahoma UCO
53-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Nova Southeastern NSUS23 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 8 1
Central Oklahoma UCO 0 0 1 0 4 0 X 5 8 0

W: Ritz, Terin (27-2) L: Alyssa Droge (24-8)

Game Recap: Softball |

Bronchos Hook Sharks

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (May 25) – Defense and the long ball have led the way for Central Oklahoma this season and the Bronchos relied on that pairing once again in the first round of the NCAA Division II Softball Championship Thursday afternoon at Frost Stadium.
 
The No. 4-ranked Bronchos came up with a bevy of big plays in the field to neutralize Nova Southeastern's team speed while Emily Deramus and Shayla Harper smacked long home runs – giving UCO a school-record 79 -- in a 5-1 triumph.
 
UCO improved to 53-7 with its 22nd win in 23 outings and dropped the Sharks to 43-15. The Bronchos will take on No. 2-ranked North Georgia at 1:30 p.m. (Oklahoma time) Friday.

"It was a tough game all the way through," head coach Cody White said. "It was a 5-1 score and felt a lot closer than that. They (NSU) have a really good team and we had to scrap for everything we got.
 
"We knew they were going to be fast and tried to prepare for that. We found a way at the end and hit a couple of long balls that really got us the advantage. We're really proud of our girls."
 
The speedy Sharks put lots of pressure on UCO's defense early with several infield hits, but the Bronchos – led by Harper at third and Mikayla Rutland at second – kept NSU at bay before the offense came through in the fifth to break a 1-1 tie.
 
Rylee Lemos led off the inning with a single to right field and stole second before moving to third on Amelya Huggins' third hit of the game. Jacee Minter's run-scoring single put the Bronchos on top and then Harper sealed the deal.
 
The senior All-American crushed a 3-1 pitch, sending a no-doubt drive far over the left field wall for a three-run homer – her 15th of the season – to make it 5-1.

"I was just trying to stay calm and collected," Harper said of her big blast. "I knew she (NSU pitcher Alyssa Drogemueller) was going to come in again. I tried to be relaxed up there and see the ball better and let my hands do the work."
 
Terin Ritz did the rest in the pitching circle, putting the Sharks down in order in the sixth and seventh to finish off a complete-game win, improving to 27-2. The sophomore right-hander gave up eight hits -- only one in the final four innings -- and didn't walk a batter.
 
"We have the best defense in the nation, so I knew when they were getting on I was gonna still throw my stuff because that's how it's been all season," Ritz said. "Our defense said, 'we got you', and they made some amazing plays."
 
Indeed the best defense in Division II came to the rescue several times in the early going.
 
NSU opened the second with a pair of infield singles before Harper got the lead-off runner at third on a grounder back to her. The Sharks loaded the bases with another infield hit, but the Bronchos escaped trouble when Harper snared a hard-hit grounder and started a 5-2-3 double play.
 
NSU scored once in the third and had the bases loaded again before Ritz induced an inning-ending foul pop-up to first baseman Tatum Long.
 
UCO answered in its half when Deramus launched a one-out solo shot over the left-center field fence for her 13th homer of the season. It stayed 1-1 until the faithful fifth, when the long ball put the Bronchos in control.
 
 
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