Central and Southeastern opened NCAA regional play on Friday with wins as the lower seeds.
The victories mean the Bronchos and Savage Storm will next face each other in a Central region matchup that has been moved up to 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Southeastern, the No. 7 seed, exacted a measure of revenge on the host Minnesota-Mankato, 5-3, in the first game of the Central 2 subregion. Mindy McElroy earned the win, giving up six hits in seven innings against the second seed. Mankato ended the Savage Storm’s season in their ballpark in 2013.
Sixth seeded and defending national champion UCO won its 10th consecutive NCAA tournament contest by cutting down MIAA rival Emporia State, 7-5. Tori Collet went 5-for-5 and had five RBIs, including the game-winning three-RBI hit in the ninth inning.
UCO and SOSU last met as members of the Lone Star Conference. The Bronchos took two of three in a regular season series in March 2011.
Cameron, still of the LSC, was shutout by St. Mary’s, 6-0, in its first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament. The sixth-seeded Aggies continued to go without a win at Angelo State, the site of the South Central 2 subregion.
CU got only three hits on the afternoon and now meet St. Edward’s in an elimination game on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.