Box Score  | Season Stats

EDMOND, Okla. -- The 17th-ranked Central Missouri baseball team dropped a tough 8-7 decision to Central Oklahoma in the series opener on Friday at Simmons Field. The loss drops Central Missouri to 32-14 overall and 29-8 in MIAA play and pulls the Bronchos to within three games of UCM with three games left in the series and the regular season.

The Bronchos (34-11, 26-11 MIAA) got on the board first with a single run in the bottom of the first inning on Jake O'Brien's double to center field. The Mules took the lead in the top of the second, plating three runs to grab a 3-1 lead. Seth Wheeler had an RBI single to tie the game and Trevor Jones had a two-run single to put Central Missouri in front.

Central Oklahoma tied the game in the bottom of the inning with two runs of their own. Wacey Henderson had an RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch. The Mules went back in front 5-3 on Hunter Johnson's home run in the top of the third inning, it was his third straight game with a home run. Dilon Argo scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning to pull UCO within 5-4.

Brad Jelinek led off the fourth inning with a home run to extend the lead to 6-4, but Brad Lamberti's RBI double and Josh Ingram's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth tied the game at 6-all.

The Bronchos went in front 7-6 in the seventh when Argo scored on a double play ball. UCM tied the game in the eighth on Tony Sandifer's RBI single, but UCO went back in front 8-7 in the bottom of the inning when O'Brien was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Mules put a runner in scoring position with one out in the top of the ninth, but couldn't push the run across to tie the game.

Reece Ponak (0-1) took the loss after giving up two runs on two hits in 2.2 innings of relief. He walked three and struck out one. Starter Ricky Rivera gave up six runs, five earned, on 10 hits in 4.2 innings. He struck out a pair and walked three. Phillip Wilson (3-1) earned the win after giving up one unearned run on two hits in two innings of relief.

The Mules stranded 12 runners on base, while UCO stranded 10.

Johnson finished the day with three hits, while Jones and Kevin Gratza each had two. Johnson and Jones each drove in a pair of runs.

The series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.