Broncho Baseball Ends Weekend Series Against Washburn With a Victory

The University of Central Oklahoma’s baseball team went 1-2 in a three-game series against Washburn this past weekend at Wendell Simmons Field. 

The Bronchos moved to 11-9 overall and 2-4 in conference play.

On Friday, Central jumped out to an early lead but fell 11-19 in a four-hour game.

UCO scored nine runs on six hits in the bottom of the first inning. Wyatt Yetter drew a bases-loaded walk to score Caleb Castle. Cade Mills hit a two-RBI double to score Drake Lee and Noah Smallwood.

Colton Ayers added an RBI single to score Kade Sheldon before Castle capped the inning with a two-run home run to give UCO a 9-0 lead.

Washburn responded quickly, scoring seven runs in the second inning with Danny Satterlee on the mound. The Ichabods tied it at 9-9, scoring one more each in the third and fourth innings.

Washburn pulled ahead 15-9 in the top of the seventh. UCO was able to score two more in the bottom of the inning, but the Ichabods added four more in the eighth to secure the win. 

Pitcher Jett Farmer closed the game with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings.

On Saturday, the Broncho offense struggled in a 5-1 loss, recording just three hits and leaving 11 runners on base.

Washburn got the early 2-0 lead in the first inning and extended it to 5-0 heading into the sixth.

Drake Lee had two of UCO’s three hits, and Carson Taylor recorded the other.

Kamden Thompson started on the mound, giving up five runs on 11 hits with two strikeouts, while Cortt Gentry struck out another pair and tossed two scoreless innings in relief.

The Bronchos’ singular run came in the eighth inning after four walks from Washburn pitchers.

UCO bounced back on Sunday with a 10-2 win to avoid the sweep. Logan Taylor pitched five innings, allowing two runs while striking out three. 

The game was tied 1-1in the third inning until Luke Stout laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Ayers. In the fourth, Elijah Alexander hit a home run before Ayers added another sacrifice bunt to score Mills.

Washburn scored their final run in the fifth, but UCO answered in the sixth with Mills’ RBI double and a grand slam from Castle to extend the lead to 8-2. 

Castle later added a solo home run, and Carson Taylor drove in another run with a double to cap the scoring.

Central will remain at home where they will host MIAA opponent Emporia State in another three-game series, beginning on Friday.

First pitch is set for 4 p.m.