Central Missouri Box Score
Fort Hays State Box Score

DURANT, Okla. (Feb. 20) – Hits were hard to come by for Central Oklahoma on the first day of the South Central Challenge here Friday afternoon.

The Bronchos had just eight hits in a pair of losses, getting four in a tough 2-1 setback to No. 19-ranked Central Missouri to start the day and four more in dropping a 7-2 decision to Fort Hays State.

UCO (3-3) continues play Saturday in the tournament that pit the three conferences – Lone Star Conference, Heartland Conference and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – that make up the NCAA Division II South Central Regional with a 10 a.m. contest against Pittsburg State and a 12 p.m. game against Northwest Missouri.

“We just couldn't hit the ball, it was a simple as that,” UCO coach Genny Stidham said.  “We had been hitting the ball pretty well, but we couldn't get it going today for whatever reason.”

Central Missouri broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when the Jennies scored their only two runs, with the Bronchos getting their lone score in the top of the fifth.  Rachel Lowery had a one-out single, went to second on Ashley Geter's sacrifice bunt and scored on Kelsey Tiger's single to get UCO within 2-1.

The Bronchos threatened in the seventh with a pair of walks, but UCM got out of the jam to hold on for the win.

Rachael Steverson took the tough pitching loss despite giving up just six hits.

FHSU took control in the second game with two runs in the third and the Tigers used an 11-hit attack to hand UCO the loss.