UCO Splits With Mustangs

3/15/2010 6:06:11 PM

Brittany Weaver

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
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EDMOND (March 15) – A couple of key late-inning defensive plays enabled Central Oklahoma to hold on to a 3-2 second-game victory and a Lone Star Conference North Division doubleheader split with No. 8-ranked Midwestern State here Monday.

The Bronchos lost the opener 2-1 and overcame a 2-0 deficit in the nightcap to end MSU's 14-game winning streak. UCO (14-6 overall, 5-1 in the LSC North) and the Mustangs (22-4, 5-1) meet again Tuesday in Wichita Falls, Texas for a 1 p.m. twinbill.

MSU entered the day averaging nearly six runs and 10 hits a game, but Molly Shivers and Rachael Steverson both pitched well in holding the Mustangs to four combined runs on 14 hits in the two tense battles.

“We played pretty well and our pitchers both threw tremendous games,” UCO coach Genny Stidham said. “Midwestern has a great team with a lot of weapons, but we didn't back down from them and did a good job getting a split.”

The Bronchos were nursing their 3-2 lead in the sixth inning of the second contest when MSU's Courtney Bingham led off with a double and then tried to score when a bloop hit by Lauren Craig bounced wildly after landing between the pitching circle and second base.

But second baseman Brittany Weaver made a perfect throw to catcher Kacie Edwards, who tagged out Bingham on a close play at the plate to prevent the Mustangs from tying the game and UCO went on to get out of the inning.

Then in the seventh, first baseman Rachel Lowery made a lunging grab on a hard-hit line drive down the line for the second out before MSU used a bunt single and hit batter to put two runners on. Steverson finally ended the suspense with an easy grounder back to the circle.

The Mustangs scored single runs in the first and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead, with UCO scoring twice in the bottom of the fourth to tie it.

Shivers led off with a single and went to third on a Kelsey Tiger base hit. Edwards followed with a single through the left side that scored Shivers and Tiger came around with the tying run on an error.

The Bronchos broke the 2-2 deadlock in the fifth when Kayce Raines had a two-out single to left field, went to second on Shivers' single up the middle and scored on a throwing error that allowed Tiger to reach base.

Steverson gave up six hits in the contest while striking out four and walking one in improving to 6-2. Shivers collected two of UCO's six hits.

Shivers had two of the Bronchos' three hits in the opener – both doubles – and took the tough loss despite giving up one earned run. She got out of bases-loaded jams in each of the first two innings.

MSU broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the fourth and the UCO got its lone run in the bottom of that frame when Shivers ripped a one-out double to left-center field and Tiger followed with an RBI single to center.

The Bronchos put two runners on with one out in the sixth as Shivers doubled again and Tiger walked, but UCO couldn't push across the tying run and the Mustangs held on.

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