JOPLIN, Mo. (May 12, 2017) -- Central Oklahoma scored single runs in the eighth and ninth innings to rally past Central Missouri 4-3 in the MIAA Tournament First Round played at Joplin High School. The game, originally scheduled for Thursday night, was postponed until Friday morning and moved to the high school due to heavy rain and lightning in Joplin on Thursday night.
The game was scoreless through four innings with both pitchers and the weather having the upper hand. The Mules (32-17) nearly broke through in the third. With a runner on second and two outs
Travis Stroup crushed a drive to left center field, but the wind held the ball up just enough and the UCO centerfielder was able to make the catch on the warning track in front of the wall.
The Bronchos (31-17-1) broke through in the top of the fifth inning, scoring two unearned runs to grab the lead. Brenton Washausen's bases-loaded single scored two runs after a throwing error on a potential double play kept the inning alive.
The Mules came right back in the home half of the frame to tie the game at 2-2. With the bases loaded and one out
Justin Graff-Rowe hit a chopper to short. The relay throw on the potential inning-ending double play ball was wide of the bag at first allowing both
Travis Able and
Erik Webb to score to knot the score.
The Mules took the lead in the seventh thanks to another UCO error. With Webb on first and two outs
Collin Nevil singled to right. Webb went to third and then was able to score when the relay throw got away from the second baseman to put UCM in front 3-2.
The Bronchos tied the game in the eighth on T.J. Sparr's RBI groundout. Dayne Sommer reached on an error to lead off the inning and came home to score on the groundout. UCO took the lead in the ninth on an infield single by Korey Floyd.
Zach Girrens tossed seven solid innings, allowing three unearned runs on eight hits while striking out four, but did not factor in the decision for UCM.
Brandon Reid (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing one run on one hit in two innings of relief.
Gibson Russ (5-1) earned the win in relief for UCO after 1.2 innings of relief. He entered in the bottom of the eighth with runners at first and second and one out and retired the final five batters.
With the loss, the Mules drop into an elimination game Friday night at approximately 9 p.m. against top-seeded Emporia State. The Hornets dropped a 2-1 decision to eighth-seeded Missouri Southern on Friday morning.
