North OKC News

Terin Ritz did a little bit of everything in leading streaking Central Oklahoma to a doubleheader sweep of Northwest Missouri Friday.
 
The sophomore designated player/first baseman/pitcher had four hits with four runs batted in on the day while also throwing a complete game as the No. 5-ranked Bronchos picked up 7-4 and 10-4 victories.
 
UCO improved to 22-3 on the season and 6-0 in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play in stretching its winning streak to 16 in a row. The Bronchos move on to St. Joseph, Mo. Saturday for a noon twinbill against Missouri Western.
 
"Terin had a great day for us, both at the plate and in the circle," head coach Cody White said. "We played pretty well today and came out with two good wins against a tough team.
 
"Tomorrow will be a big challenge as well against a really good Western team. We just have to stay focused and keep doing what we've been doing."
 
Ritz drove in three runs to key the first-game victory, with Jordyn Pipkin holding the hard-hitting Bearcats in check to pick up the pitching win.
 
UCO broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third with a four-run uprising. Mikayla Rutland reached on an error to start the inning, Rylee Lemos followed with a double to left-center and Amelya Huggins plated both runners with a single up the middle.
 
Shayla Harper reached on a fielder's choice that sent Huggins to third and then stole second before Ritz delivered a two-run single to left field to make it 4-0.
 
Tatum Long opened the fourth inning with a home run – her fourth of the season – and the Bronchos appeared in control with a 5-0 cushion.
 
But NMSU made things interesting. The Bearcats got on the scoreboard with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, then added two more in the fifth after Pipkin left for a reliever to get within 5-4.
 
Pipkin returned to the circle to get UCO out of the fifth-inning, then didn't have any trouble in the final two frames to close out the win. The sophomore right-hander gave up six hits and two runs while striking out five and walking just one in 6 2/3 innings, improving to 10-1.
 
The Bronchos finished with nine hits, getting two each from Harper and Ritz.
 
The Bearcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap, but UCO responded with four runs in the second to move in front for good.
 
Harper led off with a single and stole second before Ritz was hit by pitch. Long reached on a fielder's choice, then Shayleigh Odom walked to load the bases.
 
Rutland drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly, another hit batter put Lemos on base and Emily Deramus drove in two runs with a single to right-center. The final run came on a double steal, with Lemos taking home as Deramus went to second.
 
NWMSU scored once in the fifth to get within 4-3 and the Bronchos responded with five runs in the sixth to put the game away.
 
Ritz opened that inning with a double to left-center, Long followed with a single and Odom walked to fill the bases. Rutland drew a walk to push across the first run, Lemos drove in two with a double to center field, Deramus had an RBI groundout and an error scored the final run to make it 9-3.
 
Northwest's final run came in the top of the sixth and Ritz answered that in the top of the seventh with a one-out solo homer, her fifth of the season.
 
Ritz had two of UCO's seven hits and the sophomore right-hander also went the distance in the circle. She didn't walk a batter and struck out seven in improving to 6-0. 

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