Box Score
EDMOND (Feb. 20) – A spirited Central Oklahoma rally fell short here Friday afternoon as the Bronchos dropped a wild 14-12 Lone Star Conference decision to No. 15-ranked Abilene Christian.
UCO nearly overcame a 13-1 deficit in the contest, using a trio of home runs and a clutch pitching performance from reliever Brent Miller to get back in the game after the Wildcats used an 11-run third inning to take the big lead.
The Bronchos had a chance in the bottom of the ninth inning after getting their first two batters on base, but ACU closer Brent Rutherford got three straight outs to end the threat.
UCO fell to 4-5 on the year and 2-3 in the league, while the Wildcats improved to 8-2 and 5-0. The two teams continue the four-game series Saturday with a 12 p.m. doubleheader before wrapping up with a single nine-inning contest at 1 p.m. Sunday.
“We dug ourselves a big hole early, but our guys did a good job of getting back in the game,” UCO coach Wendell Simmons said. “Miller did a great job on the mound to keep us in it and we battled hard, but just couldn't quite get it done.”
ACU led 2-1 after two innings before breaking loose in the third. Five walks and six hits – including three homers – led to an 11-run explosion that made it 13-1 and the Wildcats appeared in firm command of the game.
Instead, the Bronchos answered right back with a five-run inning of their own to keep ACU in their sights. Three walks and two hit batters aided UCO's cause, with the only two hits in the frame accounting for all five runs as Andrew Foshee slammed a three-run homer to left field and Casey Bruns a two-run dinger to right.
The Wildcats added a run in the fourth to make it 14-6, but UCO got an RBI single from Bruns and a two-run homer from John Bryant in its half of the inning to pull within 14-9.
It stayed that way until the eighth, when the Bronchos used another three-run inning to make it 14-12. Foshee smacked an RBI double to left-center field, Blake Mitchell scored on a wild pitch after earlier drawing a walk and Foshee came home on an error to get UCO close.
The Bronchos got out of a jam in the top of the ninth to stay within two and appeared poised to pull off a miraculous comeback in their final at bat when Bryant was hit by pitch and Hodge walked to put the first two runners on, but a strikeout, fly out and ground out ended UCO's hopes.
Miller came in with the Bronchos down 13-1 and pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings, giving up five hits while striking out six. Tyler Bishop allowed one hit in going the final 1 1/3 innings.
Foshee, Bruns and Hodge finished with two hits apiece to lead the offense, with Foshee driving in four runs and Bruns three.
