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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Team
1
Winner Central Oklahoma CENTRAL 42-8
0
Newman NEWMAN 7-42
Winner
Central Oklahoma CENTRAL
42-8
1
Final
0
Newman NEWMAN
7-42
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Central Oklahoma CENTRAL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0
Newman NEWMAN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

W: Ritz, Terin (15-3) L: K. DeCorte (1-7)

17
Winner Central Oklahoma CENTRAL 43-8
0
Newman NEWMAN 7-43
Winner
Central Oklahoma CENTRAL
43-8
17
Final
0
Newman NEWMAN
7-43
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Central Oklahoma CENTRAL 7 7 2 1 0 17 13 0
Newman NEWMAN 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3

W: Ward, Sydney (10-2) L: P. Zamacona (2-12)

Game Recap: Softball |

Conference Champs!

Bronchos Sweep Newman To Clinch At Least A Share of MIAA Title

WICHITA, Kan. – Odd-numbered years appear to be a good omen for the Central Oklahoma softball program.

The No. 5-ranked Bronchos swept a night-and-day different doubleheader from Newman Friday, eking out a 1-0 shutout in the opener before waltzing to a 17-0 triumph in the second game to clinch at least a share of the MIAA regular season title to follow a familiar trend.

It marks UCO's sixth league title since joining the MIAA, with the others coming in 2013, '17, '19, '21 and '23. The Bronchos also captured the NCAA Division II national championship in 2013, advanced to the Super Regional round in 2019 and made the national finals in 2023.

UCO finished the regular season 43-8 overall and 20-4 in the conference to wrap up the No. 1 seed for next week's MIAA Softball Championship in Hays, Kansas. Pittsburg State can earn a share of the title with a road sweep of Missouri Southern Saturday.

"I'm super proud of this team," head coach Cody White said. "It's not easy to win a conference championship, especially in a league like ours. It's been a long road this season and we're not done yet. A lot of our goals are still in front of us and we have to keep working."

Friday's twinbill was a study in contrasts.

The Bronchos entered the day averaging 6.9 runs and 8.5 hits a game, then managed one run on two hits in the narrow first-game win. And promptly erupted for seven runs in the first inning of the nightcap to set the tone early for that rout.

Terin Ritz was virtually untouchable in the opener. The senior right-hander tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts while issuing one walk and allowing just one hit, that coming on a single in the bottom of the seventh on the only ball that reached the outfield.

It was the 12th complete game of the season and the fifth shutout for Ritz, who improved to 15-3 with her 69th career win.

UCO hit several balls hard during the contest, but managed just two hits of its own.

The first of those came in the third when Brooklyn Ryan lined a two-out single to center field and went to third on an error. Rylee Lemos was hit by pitch and then got in an intentional rundown to allow Ryan to steal home for what turned out to be the winning run.

Rylee Anglen had the only other hit with a single up the middle in the seventh.

"I think we were a little tight in the first game," White said. "We just couldn't get anything going at the plate, but Terin was fantastic. Winning that seemed to relax us and we came out hot."

UCO erupted for seven runs in each of the first two innings to put the game away early.

Emily Deramus had a two-run single to highlight the first-inning uprising, while Ritz, Lemos, Mari Scott, Macie Andrews added RBI hits.

The onslaught continued in the second as Lemos lined a two-run double off the top of the center field wall, Ritz added a two-run double down the left field line, Scott had another RBI single and the lead ballooned to 14-0.

Ryan roped a two-run single to center field and Brooklyn Lyles had an RBI double to left in the third to make it a 17-0 cushion and complete the scoring.

Lemos and Scott both went 3-for-3 to lead UCO's 13-hit attack, while Ritz added two hits.

Sydney Ward picked up the pitching win, giving up one hit in the first three innings to improve to 10-2. Jordyn Pipkin threw the fourth and Kaylee Bradley the fifth to finish off UCO's 16th shutout of the season.


 
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