PITTSBURG, Kansas - The Winona State University softball team drops a pair of games to No.11 University of Central Oklahoma on their final day of competition at Pittsburg State University on Sunday, March 17.
In game one, WSU was unable to get their bats going to get any runs to cross the plate. On the defensive side of the ball, the Warriors were unable to slow down UCO's bats and lost 11-0 in a full seven inning game.
In game two, Winona State was able to string together a few runs, but wasn't enough to top the Bronchos red hot bats. The Warriors were able to get two runs across, but unfortunately, fell to Central Oklahoma 7-2
Central Oklahoma 11, Winona State 0
Between the Warriors' pitching duo of
Izzy Howe and
Abby Smith, WSU was able to keep the first three innings scoreless for Central Oklahoma. In those three innings bith Howe and Smith only allowed one hit from UCO.
Unfortunately, the top of the fourth inning was when the Bronchos' bats started to get hot. With a Bronchos homrun and a few errors by the Warriors, Central Oklahoma to a 3-0 lead. WSU was unable to answer back in the bottom of the fouth.
Winona State had
Jayda Berg come in to pitch in the fifth inning, where UCO collected two singles, a double, and two stolen bases to collect two more runs going into the bottom fo the fifth inning. The Warriors were able to get a
Kiley Slaats on base after a fielding error by the Bronchos' right fielder, but were unable to hit Slaats around to score.
With UCO chipping away at the plate, WSU had another pitching change, putting Skylar Calmes in the circle part way through the top of the sixth inning, where Calmes was able to close out the top half of the inning with a ground out to
Abbie Hlas. Winona State was unable to get on base in the bottom of the sixth.
Central Oklahoma hit in four more runs with two singles, a double, and a homerun to round out the top of the seventh. WSU was unable to get a ball through the Bronchos' infield, falling to the Bronchos 11-0.
Winona State 2, Central Oklahoma 7
With the switch of being home and away, Winona State batted first with
Sam Keller getting the Warriors going with a single up the third-base side. With one out on the board, Hlas reached first on a fielder's choice causing Keller to get out. The Bronchos defense was able to stop the Warriors bats after a ground out to third hit by
Carly Engelhardt to end the first inning. UCO was able to collect a double, a stolen base, two singles off of WSU pitcher,
Morgan Smetana, along with a Winona State error to collet three runs in the bottom of the first.
Right away in the top of the second inning,
Alyssa Woelfel went the distance by hitting a homerun to put the Warriors on the board.
Zoe May was able to follow that with a single to left field and
Jaden Johnson reached on with a fielder's choice causing May to get out at second. WSU was unable to do anymore damage in the top of the second. Winona State was able to keep Central Oklahoma to a single run in the bottom of the second after the Bronchos scored off of a sacrifice fly to right field. UCO still held the lead at 4-1.
The third inning was scoreless for both UCO and WSU, score still 4-1.
In the fourth inning, Winona State was able to string together a hit and a few walks to load the bases, but were unable to get any of the baserunner across home plate. Central Oklahoma were able to string together two doubles to score a run before the Warriors were able to work their way out of the inning, with the score was now 5-1.
Entering the top of the fifth inning, Slaats was able to get on base with a single to right field, but with Hlas hitting into another fielder's choice, Slaats was out at second and Hlas was safe at first. Engelhard was able to advance Hlas on a hard hit ball to the Bronchos' third basemen allowing both Hlas and Engelhardt to both be safe at second and first. After a pitching change for Central Oklahoma, the Warriors were unable to hit Hlas and Engelhard around.
In the bottom of the fifth, Smetana was able to keep from scoring with the help of a caught fly ball by Keller and a fielder's choice decision by Hlas.
Going into the top of the sixth, Johnson was able to reach on by an error by the UCO's shortstop, but the Warriors were not able to score. The Bronchos were able to plate two runs off of hard hit balls that made it through the infield. Central Oklahoma extends there lead 7-1.
The Warriors come into the seventh inning to make a comeback, starting with Keller getting walked and taking second base after a wild pitch. Slaats comes up to bat and singles to right center advancing Keller to third. Hlas grounds out allowing Slaats to slide over to second, Keller still at third. Woelfel was able to hit a hard ball towards second base to score Keller and move over Slaats. Unfortunately, the Bronchos' defense was able to shut down the Warriors ralley ending the game 7-2.
With the doubleheader loss against University of Central Oklahoma, Winona State moves to 16-9 on the year. The Warriors will open Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play on Saturday, March 23, where the Warriors will host the Huskies for St. Cloud State for the first home doubleheader of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Maynard R. Johnson Field.
