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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

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Mari Scott
Mari Scott
0
Minnesota State MSU 38-19
8
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 47-8
Minnesota State MSU
38-19
0
Final
8
Central Oklahoma UCO
47-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Minnesota State MSU 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1
Central Oklahoma UCO 0 1 1 6 X 8 9 0

W: Ritz, Terin (19-3) L: Oetzmann, Maddie (6-7)

Game Recap: Softball | | \

Bronchos Clobber Minnesota State In NCAA Opener

Terin Ritz Pitches Two-hit Shutout as UCO Rolls 8-0

EDMOND – Emily Deramus and Mari Scott keyed a big fourth-inning uprising that capped Central Oklahoma's 8-0 thrashing of Minnesota State in the first round of the NCAA Division II Central Regional I Tournament Thursday afternoon at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.

Terin Ritz continued her postseason pitching brilliance for the No. 4-ranked Bronchos with a two-hit shutout while also hitting a solo home run in the run-rule rout. UCO improved to 47-8 in moving into Friday's 1 p.m. winner's bracket finals against the Pittsburg State-Rogers State winner.

"That was a game where we were clicking on all cylinders – defense, pitching, offense and even base running," UCO head coach Cody White said. "When we do that, we're highly capable of doing some amazing things.

"That's what we talked about at the beginning of the game. We know we can do this, all we have to do is put it on display. Just relax and breathe and do it. They took that and ran with it today."
 
The Bronchos were nursing a 2-0 lead before breaking the game open with a big six-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth as Deramus and Scott had two-run singles.

Scott doubled off the left field wall to lead off the inning, Macie Andrews walked and Brooklyn Ryan was hit by pitch to quickly load the bases with no outs.

Rylee Lemos plated the first run with a deep sacrifice fly to right field and Rylee Anglen reached base on an RBI fielder's choice when MSU's try to get Andrews at the plate on a ground ball to the shortstop failed.

The Mavericks elected to intentionally walk Ritz with two outs to load the bases again and Deramus made them pay, ripping a two-run single up the middle to push UCO's lead to 6-0. Ariah Mitchell kept things going with a base hit and then Scott greeted a new pitcher with a first-pitch single to center to drive in two more runs.

Ritz then put MSU down in order in the top of the fifth to polish off her eighth shutout of the season and the third in four postseason games, improving to 19-3. The senior right-hander struck out six, didn't walk a batter and retired the final 10 batters she faced after giving up singles in each of the first two innings.

The Bronchos broke on top in the second. Mitchell led off with a single to center, Andrews had a one-out hit up the middle and Lemos came through with a two-out RBI single to left.

Ritz aided her own cause in the third with her 18th homer, this one a one-out line-drive shot over the right-center field wall. It was the ninth time this season Ritz has homered during one of her pitching starts.

Andrews had two stellar plays at third place to highlight UCO's defensive performance.
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