Western earns split with No. 18 Central Oklahoma

Brandon Zenner, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·2 min read

Apr. 12—Missouri Western became just the third MIAA team to hand No. 18 Central Oklahoma a loss on the softball diamond this spring, winning 3-1 in Game 1 of a doubleheader Sunday at the Spring Sports Complex.

Freshman Sydney Rader put together one of her strongest outings of the season, pitching six one-hit innings against the Bronchos. UCO eventually tallied two more hits and their lone run in the seventh, though Rader forced a double play to end the game with her ninth win of the year. It's her fewest hits allowed in a seven-inning game. She has allowed just eight hits and one run in the last two games.

Emma Hoffart got the scoring started on a fly out in the first that allowed Sydni Hawkins to come home. It wasn't until Hawkins' double with no outs in the sixth that the Griffons would get a runner into scoring position with less than two outs again.

Brea Blanton followed up with a double of her own to score Hawkins, and Hoffart replicated the at-bat to make it a 3-0 lead.

The first three Bronchos reached base in the seventh to make the score 3-1 with two runners on and no outs. Rader then got a strikeout, and Rachel Stewart turned a double play to end the game.

In Game 2, Western was held without a hit until with one out in the seventh when Chloe Armstrong's sharp liner bounced off the third baseman's glove and went into the outfield in a 4-0 loss.

UCO pitcher Kelly Lynch allowed just the one hit and two walks while striking out eight, hitting one other batter.

Allie Eicher started the scoring for the Bronchos after a liner to left found the grass for a double, and she advanced on back-to-back groundouts for a 1-0 lead.

The Bronchos struck for two more runs off Kaili Hinds in the fourth and added one more in the sixth.

Central Oklahoma's MIAA record improves to 13-3, while the Griffons are just behind at 9-3. Washburn leads the MIAA with a 5-1 league record.

Western hosts Northwest for a doubleheader on Wednesday. The Bearcats lost two to Central Oklahoma on Friday before sweeping two from Newman on Saturday.

Brandon Zenner can be reached at brandon.zenner@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowZenner.