Skip To Main Content

University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Team
1
Central Oklahoma UCO 50-9
5
Winner Augustana AUGIE 50-10
Central Oklahoma UCO
50-9
1
Final
5
Augustana AUGIE
50-10
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Central Oklahoma UCO 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 2
Augustana AUGIE 0 0 0 0 3 2 X 5 11 0

W: Glanzer, Grace (27-7) L: Ritz, Terin (22-4)

5
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 51-9
1
Augustana AUGIE 50-11
Winner
Central Oklahoma UCO
51-9
5
Final
1
Augustana AUGIE
50-11
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Central Oklahoma UCO 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 5 5 1
Augustana AUGIE 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 5 2

W: Ritz, Terin (23-4) L: Lander, Lexi (20-4)

Game Recap: Softball |

Regional Champions!

No. 4 UCO Downs No. 6 Augustana For Central Regional Title

EDMOND – One pitch led to a tough loss that resulted in a do-or-die game for Central Oklahoma, but Terin Ritz and the No. 4-ranked Bronchos didn't let that get in the way of their quest for the NCAA Division II Central Regional championship Friday afternoon.

No. 6 Augustana ended a 14-inning scoreless drought against Ritz with a three-run home run in the fifth inning while trailing 1-0 and went on to win 5-1 to force the "if necessary" game, but UCO was up to the challenge.

Rylee Lemos drove in two runs, Jordyn Pipkin pitched 2.2 crucial innings in a rare start and Ritz came on to slam the door as the Bronchos prevailed 5-1 before a rowdy Gerry Pinkston Stadium crowd to claim the regional title in the best-of-three series.

UCO moved to 51-8 with their fifth regional crown and earned a spot in the Division II Championship Finals in Chattanooga, Tennessee May 22-28. The Bronchos will join seven other regional winners there, with seedings and pairings to be announced Sunday.

"One pitch doesn't define me as an individual and I knew from the very start," said Ritz of the throw that resulted in Augie's three-run homer in the opening-game loss. "At first I was mad and upset, but all my teammates kept me up the whole time.

"I knew I was going to go out there and dominate them when I got another chance. As soon as I got the ball again, I was going to go out there and be myself."

Ritz came on with two outs and a runner on third in the bottom of the third, induced an inning-ending groundout and threw the final 4.1 innings. She gave up two hits, a walk and one run while striking out three to earn her 77th career win, tying the school record held by Gladys Griffin.

"This team has amazing fight," head coach Cody White said. "They've been a lot of fun to coach and we're getting to see the benefits of it now in the postseason. All the work they've put in, all the time and trust they've put in with our coaching staff and their teammates. We saw it on display today and that's so rewarding."

The Bronchos got a big boost from Pipkin in the second game. The senior right-hander has seen limited action this spring after recovering from an off-season knee injury, but held the potent Vikings scoreless the first 2.2 innings while making just her sixth start.

"Jordyn was big for us," White said. "She came out and pitched well, got through their lineup once and did what we asked her to do."

UCO broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third in the deciding game when Brooklyn Ryan laced a double off the right field wall, went to third on Lemos' groundout and scored on Rylee Anglen's fielder's choice. Augie went to the plate on Anglen's grounder to shortstop, but the fleet-footed Ryan slid in ahead of the throw.

The Bronchos survived an Augie threat in the bottom of the inning when a video review overturned a run the Vikings scored after Ryan made a sensational diving catch in right-center field and UCO capitalized on the momentum swing in the fourth.

Ariah Mitchell led off with a single to center field, moved to second on Mari Scott's sacrifice bunt and scooted home on Macie Andrews' single through the left side. Andrews raced around to third on the throw and resulting error, then slid around the tag to score when AU tried to get her at the plate on Ryan's ground ball.

Ryan reached first on that play and Lemos promptly made it 4-0 with an RBI triple to the right-center field gap. It was the 17th triple of Lemos' career, tying the all-time UCO record held by Ally Dziadula.

The Bronchos manufactured a run without a hit in the sixth to push the advantage to 5-0. Andrews was hit by pitch to open the frame, went to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on Ryan's sacrifice bunt before trotting home on Lemos' long fly out to left field.

Augie scored its lone run in the bottom of the sixth and opened the seventh with a single, but shortstop Emily Deramus quickly extinguished that threat when she snared a hard-hit line-drive and got the runner at first for a double play. With the crowd on its feet chanting "U-C-O, U-C-O", Ritz got the final out on a grounder to Andrews at third to set off a wild celebration in the circle.

"I feel like the first game we didn't come out like we wanted to be," Ryan said. "But in the second game we came out there and were like 'no, this is ours, this is our field and this is our game.'"

And the Bronchos took it.


 
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad
Skip Sponsors