ST. JOSEPH – Central Oklahoma (17-10, 10-6) scored all of its runs in the final two innings to cover up a gem thrown by Missouri Western baseball (12-12, 9-7) starter Jacob Purl.

Purl exited in the eighth after striking out 12, walking none and allowing just one hit. UCO responded with three runs in the eighth and broke a 3-3 tie with two in the ninth to break a fourth-place tie with MWSU in the MIAA standings.

NOTABLES

• Purl’s 12 strikeouts were a career-high for the senior transfer and his zero walks were a season-low
• UCO’s first hit off Purl didn’t come until the sixth, a double down the right field line
• The Griffons scored two in the first off a Casey Danley home run and a Wyatt Meyer single that included an error by the UCO centerfielder that allowed Andrew Curry to score from first and Meyer to get to second
• Meyer drove in a run in the third with a double to left center
• UCO pitching held the Griffons without a hit the rest of the game after Meyer’s double
• Broncho starter Dylan Hall and the rest of the UCO pitching staff did its best to match Purl’s gem. Hall struck out eight and the next three UCO pitchers combined to strike out four more Griffon batters
• UCO got the ninth inning rally going on a controversial call at first. The umpire ruled Dusty Stroup’s throw from third base pulled Andrew Curry off the bag on a very close play that put UCO’s Kace Massner on to lead off the ninth.
• Three batters later, Massner scored what proved to be the winning run on a pinch-hit triple

UP NEXT

• Game two of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —