Splitsville

4/9/2011 6:30:02 PM

Carly Skinner

Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

EDMOND (April 9) – Brooke Walters belted a grand slam to highlight a 10-run inning that gave Central Oklahoma a run-rule rout in the first game, but the Bronchos failed to come up with timely hits in the nightcap in splitting a Lone Star Conference North Division doubleheader with Northeastern State here Saturday.

Walters' bases-loaded home run highlighted an eight-hit, 10-run outburst that lifted UCO from a 3-1 fifth-inning deficit to an 11-3 victory in the opener before the RiverHawks came back to take the nightcap 7-3 as the Bronchos left 13 runners on base.

UCO lost the crucial league series 2-1 to drop to 21-17 overall and 5-7 in the LSC North, falling to fifth in the standings, while NSU improved to 14-20 and 3-6. The top four teams from the North and South divisions qualify for the LSC Tournament May 5-7 in Durant.

“We didn't come up with the big hit in key situations and it cost us,” UCO coach Genny Stidham said. “I thought after the way we busted loose in the first game that we would come out and do the same in the second, but it didn't happen. It was a disappointing weekend for us.”

The Bronchos went 5-1 in last weekend's LSC Crossover Tournament – including a 9-1 rout of No. 2-ranked Angelo State – but continued their home woes with the NSU series. UCO is just 5-7 at home this season, having lost five of its last six.

NSU, which won Friday's series opener 3-0 in eight innings, led 3-1 in Saturday's first game before the Bronchos erupted in the fifth.

Hannah Justus, Kayce Raines and Megan Bentley started the big inning with consecutive singles to load the bases before Kacie Edwards tied the game with a two-run single to center field. An error brought Bentley in with the go-ahead run and Brittany Weaver walked to re-load the bases before Walters cleared them with her line drive over the center field fence.

Brittany Geter followed with a no-doubt moon shot to left to make it 9-3 and Bentley later ended the game on the eight-run rule with a two-run double down the left field line.

Justus, Bentley and Edwards had two hits apiece for the Bronchos, while Rachael Steverson picked up the pitching win in relief. She threw three shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out three.

NSU rebounded quickly in the nightcap, taking a 5-0 in the top of the third before UCO got its first run on Geter's RBI single. The RiverHawks, who hit three homers in the game, extended their lead to 7-1 before the Bronchos got two runs in a too-late seventh inning rally.

UCO left the bases loaded in the second inning and stranded two runners in four other frames as the Bronchos were unable to take advantage of nine hits and four NSU errors.

UCO goes to No. 18-ranked Emporia State for a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday before traveling to LSC North leader and No. 2-rated Midwestern State for a three-game series next weekend.

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