UCO Sports
Mike Kirk
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Jayden Chestnut threw a one-hit shutout in the first game and Central Oklahoma allowed just one run in two wins here Sunday on the final day of the Hy-vee Classic hosted by Missouri Western.
The No. 9-ranked Bronchos blanked Mary 5-0 behind Chestnut’s pitching gem before ending the three-day event with a 6-1 victory over Sioux Falls as Carrie Abrams and Ashleigh Tramel drove in two runs apiece.
UCO went 5-1 in the tournament, winning five straight after dropping a 6-5 extra-inning decision to Augustana in Friday’s first game. The Bronchos, now 18-4 on the season, return to Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play Wednesday when they host Emporia State for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
“It was a long weekend and I’m proud of the way we finished with two good wins today,” head coach Cody White said. “We did a great job bouncing back from a tough loss in our first game here. Jayden and Peyton (Walker) both threw well today and we came up with some big hits in key situations.”
Chestnut overwhelmed the Marauders in the opener and faced just 23 batters, two over the minimum for a seven-inning contest. Mary’s lone hit was a single to lead off the game as the sophomore right-hander improved to 5-2 with an eight-strikeout, one-walk masterpiece.
Brooke Zukerman led an eight-hit attack with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, while Tori Collet had a pair of doubles.
The Bronchos scored twice in the second and three times in the third before cruising the rest of the way behind Chestnut.
Collet started the second with a lead-off double to left-center field and scored one out later on Zukerman’s single to left field, with Zukerman scoring on an error later in the inning to make it 2-0.
Lexi Watson and Morgan Heard started the third with back-to-back singles before both advanced on a passed ball, with Abrams’ single to left field plating Watson. Collet added an RBI double and Zukerman a run-scoring single to push the cushion to 5-0.
Walker picked up the second-game pitching win, giving up five hits and one run in the first six innings. She struck out four and walked one in improving to 10-1, with Abbie Lancaster coming on to throw the final inning.
The Bronchos were held to a season-low five hits, but scored four unearned runs in the first inning to take early control.
Tramel had the big hit of the frame with a two-run double to left field and Carli Jones added an RBI single. UCO made it 5-0 in the second when Heard ripped a one-out triple and scored on Abrams’ groundout.
The Bronchos added their final run in the fifth when Tramel drew a lead-off walk, pinch-runner Kaitlynn Monckton stole second and went to third on Mo Selman’s sacrifice before scoring on a bunt single by Abrams.
USF scored its lone run in the sixth.