SHAWNEE, Kan. - Central Oklahoma, behind five shutout innings from Shelby Beard, froze Minnesota State Moorhead's offense en route to a 5-0 victory in five innings (called early due to inclement weather) to close out the final day of the Top Gun Midwest Classic. 

"We really started to see some things gel this weekend all around," first-year head softball coach Sam Maples said. "My favorite thing about this team is that they play as a team. We're seeing different people step up every game and take advantage of the opportunities they're given.

"They compete, they love each other and they are having fun playing softball. It's easy to coach a team that gets it the way these athletes do. Looking forward to a few more great games before we start conference play."

The Bronchos went 5-0 over the weekend, beating Augustana, 10-2 (6 innings), Upper Iowa, 9-1 (6 innings), Minnesota Duluth, 9-1 (5 innings), Rockhurst, 4-3, and MSM, 5-0 (5 innings).

Beard forced three-straight groundouts in the bottom of the first before Hannah Demoff hit her third home run of the season, this one a two-run shot, bringing home Kennedy Clark, who reached base on a Dragons error. 

Five out of the next six Minnesota Duluth batters were struck out, a part of Beard's eight strike out day, her second game with eight Ks on the weekend. 

Three Bronchos reached base to start the top of the fourth, leading to a Sherri Mason two-RBI double, scoring Kindal Biggs, and Demoff. The RBIs were Mason's 10th and 11th of the season, and the double was her fifth. Rylee Lemos capped off the inning with an RBI double, scoring Mason to give UCO a 5-0 lead. 

Beard continued her dominance to close out the game, allowing just two hits, only walking two batters, striking out eight, earning her 10th win of the season. 

UCO returns home next week for a non-conference doubleheader with Drury on Friday, March 7 at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.