UCO softball goes 3-1 in first weekend at home

The University of Central Oklahoma softball team returned from their undefeated weekend in Gulf Shores to play four games back at their house, in Edmond, as part of the UCO-OC Classic. Instead of playing on the beach, they played in less-than-ideal sub-45 degree temperature conditions. The Bronchos run-ruled two opponents, won a tight contest with #20 Southern Nazarene and were upset by Oklahoma Baptist. Let’s go in chronological order. 

The Bronchos started out their home opener with a triple by Rylee Lemos, then a triple by Rylee Anglen to score Lemos. The hits would keep coming for Central as they got 13 of them and 11 runs and put the Western New Mexico Mustangs in the barn 11-3 in just five innings. Their second game of the UCO-OC Classic was not as fun for the faithful in Bronze and Blue. Oklahoma Baptist would erase a 3-0 deficit and score six in the fourth inning and three in the fifth. Despite an incredible performance from the offense with seven runs off of eight hits. It wasn’t enough to match the output the Bison had on the day as they would be the ones to give the Bronchos their first loss of the season 12-7. 

Central Oklahoma would come back the next day and took out a winless Missouri S&T team in five innings by scoring ten runs thanks to the efforts of Rylee Lemos, Rylee Anglen and Terin Ritz who combined for five of the six hits including two triples from Terin Ritz to put the game out of reach. Their final game of the weekend was another familiar foe in Southern Nazarene University. The Bronchos sought revenge against the team that eliminated them in postseason play last year. A Kennedy Clark RBI single set the tone early in the first, followed by a Rylee Lemos double that scored two in the second. The left fielder from South Coffeyville, Oklahoma had eight hits, six RBIs, a double, a triple and a home run in the four games played over the weekend. Terin Ritz shut down the Crimson Storm offense, pitching a complete game shutout with five hits allowed and three strikeouts. Getting their revenge on SNU 3-0 to cap off a successful home opening weekend. 

“This was a big day for them.” said Bronchos head coach Cody White. “We were locked in today… success was the byproduct of that.” 

The Bronchos will return to action on Friday for five games over the next three days as part of the Raising Cane’s Softball Festival. All five of their games will be at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.