UCO Baseball Splits Edmond First Pitch Classic Over the Weekend

The University of Central Oklahoma men’s baseball team went 2-2 in its eighth annual Edmond First Pitch Classic over the weekend. 

UCO dropped their first game of the festival 7-4 in a late-inning surge from East Central. 

A Kade Sheldon leadoff single got things going early for the Bronchos.

Sheldon would score as Jackson Archambeau hit a double into left-center field.

Elijah Alexander would follow that up, scoring Archambeau with a single up the middle, building UCO’s lead to two in the first. 

ECU would get on the board in the second as back-to-back bases-loaded walks would bring in two runs to tie. 

A solo home run would then bring East Central in front in the fourth inning. 

The Bronchos would reclaim the lead after Noah Smallwood delivered on a pinch-hit RBI triple that tied the game back up.

Trevor Rowe would then bring Smallwood home after a single up the middle to bring UCO in front 4-3.

Mylan Childers was excellent out of the bullpen as he went two innings pitched and struck out every batter he faced. 

East Central took control of the game, adding two runs in the seventh with an RBI single and a walk. They added two more in the eighth with a wild pitch and a single. 

UCO could not mount a comeback, ultimately dropping the opener 7-4. 

Central bounced back Friday afternoon against Southeastern Oklahoma State with a stellar bullpen performance. The Bronchos’ bullpen went six and a third innings pitched, only giving up one earned run.

Southeastern found themselves up early after back-to-back solo shots in the first put them ahead.

UCO answered in the third after a two-RBI single by Luke Stout tied the game up. 

Southeastern answered quickly, however, as a sac fly would reclaim the lead, but that was the last, as UCO would pour it on from there. 

An RBI single in the fifth by Drake Lee tied the game up.

Bron Farr was dominant in relief, going three and a third out of the bullpen, only allowing one run. 

UCO would rebound with a 7-3 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State.

“It was a good team win, after last night’s loss,” said senior shortstop Caleb Castle.

“Everyone did their part, and we played as a team. We played as a team, swinging the bat, playing sound defense, and our pitchers filled up the zone.”

Missouri St. Louis denied UCO’s attempt to continue its success on Saturday afternoon.

The Tritons drowned the Bronchos in a 12-1 victory. 

After a 1-2-3 first, Missouri St. Louis poured in eight runs in the second. 

They continued to add with one run in the third, two in the fourth, and one in the fifth. 

The UCO bullpen stopped the scoring, but the offense never came together, with eight hits, scoring a lone run in the seventh. 

UCO would lose in run-rule fashion, falling 2-2 on the season.

“A loss always stings, but I know we are better than what we showed,” said pitcher Gage Norvell.

“All we can do is go back out there tomorrow and compete to the degree I know we can. There is a long season ahead and a lot of ball to be played.”

UCO got its revenge as it toppled ECU Sunday to round out the Edmond First Pitch Classic.

 Kamden Thompson carried the weight, holding off the tigers till the seventh, going six and a third innings and giving up three runs. 

The scoring parade got started after a double from Sheldon, who scored two runs in the fifth.

A Carson Taylor single scored two more in the sixth. 

ECU fought back, scoring three runs in the seventh, bringing them within one.

Alexander hit a solo homer in the seventh, increasing the lead to two for Central.  

A six-run eighth inning for UCO started with a two-RBI double from Archambeau. Sheldon would follow that up with a two-RBI double of his own to bring the lead to 9-3. 

Stout put the stamp on the game with a 2-run blast to right field to bring UCO to a commanding 11-3 victory to close the weekend.

UCO will continue to defend home field as Colorado Christian will come to town for a four-game series. First pitch is set to take place this Friday at 3 pm, followed by a doubleheader Saturday, and the finale on Sunday.