Skip To Main Content

University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Mikayla Rutland
Mikayla Rutland
2
Fort Hays State FHSU 31-23
8
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 44-6
Fort Hays State FHSU
31-23
2
Final
8
Central Oklahoma UCO
44-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Fort Hays State FHSU 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 4 0
Central Oklahoma UCO 0 1 1 0 0 6 X 8 12 0

W: Ritz, Terin (18-1) L: Egger,Savanah (14-9)

Game Recap: Softball |

UCO Tops Tigers To Open MIAA Tourney

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 3) – It wasn't the start Central Oklahoma was looking for, but the finish certainly was.
 
The No. 4-ranked Bronchos struggled to get their offense untracked before Mikayla Rutland's three-run home run sparked a six-run sixth-inning eruption that propelled UCO past Fort Hays State 8-2 in the first round of the MIAA Softball Championship Wednesday afternoon.
 
It was the 13th straight win for the regular season champion Bronchos, who improved to 44-6 on the season. UCO will take on Central Missouri, 5-2 winners over Washburn, in a 4 p.m. semifinal contest Thursday at the Envista Softball Complex.
 
"We couldn't get much going early on, though we put runners on and had our chances," head coach Cody White said. "I thought we did a good job making some adjustments and came up with some great at bats in the sixth, especially with Mikayla's homer.
 
"And Terin (Ritz) was huge for us. She was lights out and kept us in the game until our bats came around."

Ritz was indeed big in the circle for the Bronchos.
 
The sophomore right-hander took over pitching duties in the third inning with UCO facing a 2-1 deficit and allowed just one hit in the final 4 2/3 innings. Ritz struck out three and didn't walk a batter in improving to 18-1.
 
FHSU struck first, taking advantage of three walks in scoring once without a hit.
 
UCO tied it in the second when Shayla Harper led off with a line-drive shot that cleared the left field fence in a hurry for her 13th homer.
 
FHSU went up 2-1 in the top of the third with a solo homer of its own, but the Bronchos pulled even again in the bottom of that frame on Jacee Minter's RBI triple.
 
It stayed 2-2 until the sixth, when UCO took control.
 
Tatum Long got things going with a one-out single up the middle and Shayleigh Odom followed with an infield hit before Rutland quickly cleared the bases. The senior's seventh homer was a no-doubt blast to straightaway center field and the floodgates were opened.
 
Rylee Lemos kept the inning going with a single up the middle, Amelya Huggins had a two-out infield hit and Minter's bloop single scored Lemos to make it 6-2.
 
Another infield single by Harper loaded the bases, with Ritz and Long drawing consecutive walks to push UCO's advantage to 8-2.
 
Ritz then put the Tigers down in order in the top of the seventh to complete the victory.
 
Minter went 3-for-4 to lead a 12-hit attack, while Harper and Ritz had two hits apiece.
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad
Skip Sponsors