Walk Off!

2/17/2012 5:47:00 PM

Cameron Mavroulis

Box Score

EDMOND (Feb. 17) – Kevin Blue belted a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift Central Oklahoma to a dramatic 6-5 home-opening victory over Northwest Missouri Friday afternoon at Wendell Simmons Field.

The resilient Bronchos rallied from behind three times to keep the game going and never led until Blue parked a 1-1 pitch over the left-center field wall to set off a wild celebration at home plate.

UCO improved to 5-2 with the win, while the Bearcats lost their season opener. The two teams return for a single game at 2 p.m. Saturday before ending the series with an 11:30 a.m. doubleheader Sunday.

The Bronchos trailed 2-0 after six innings, but got one run in the seventh and another in the eighth to tie it only to see NWMSU move back ahead with a run in the top of the ninth.

UCO came back in its final at bat to knot the game at 3-3 and force extra innings, with the Bearcats pushing across two runs in the top of the 10th.

Again the Bronchos rallied, getting two of their own in the bottom of that inning to make it 5-5 and it remained deadlocked until Blue delivered the game-winner in the 12th.

Austin Rycroft went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in to lead UCOs' 13-hit attack. Blue, Keegan Morrow, Edgar Lopez and Cameron Mavroulis had two hits apiece.

Uriah Fisher ended up getting the win with 3 1/3 innings of relief work, while starter Josh Rolan and relievers Ryan Wagner and Jake Tuck all pitching well in keeping the Bronchos close.

UCO had just four hits through six innings in trailing 2-0 before Rycroft finally got the Bronchos on the scoreboard with a massive lead-off homer in the seventh.

Morrow's RBI single tied it in the eighth, but the Bearcats were poised to pull out a 3-2 win after scoring once in the top of the ninth and then getting two quick outs in the bottom of that frame.

Pinch-hitter Mike Boyle kept UCO alive with a double down the left field line and Mavroulis followed with a clutch double to left-center field to plate Boyle and tie it again.

NWMSU scored twice in the 10th to regain a 5-3 lead and again the Bronchos answered.

J.P. Maples led off with a homer to left center and Morrow followed with a four-pitch walk. Jared Wright's sacrifice bunt moved Morrow to second and Blue sent him to third with a single to right field before Rycroft came through with a single through the left side to pull UCO even.

Neither team threatened in the 11th and the Bearcats led off the 12th with a single before Fisher got three straight outs to set the stage for Blue's heroics.

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