Box Score EDMOND, Okla. – Rogers State softball fell to No. 1 seed and host Central Oklahoma 3-1 in the first game of the championship round of the MIAA Tournament on Thursday.
 
No. 4 Seed Rogers State 1, No. 1 Seed Central Oklahoma 3
Records:  Rogers State (32-14-1)  |  Central Oklahoma (35-10)
W: Kylee Lynch (18-3)  |  L: Andrea Morales  (22-6)

How It Happened

• The Hillcats would load the bases in the top of the first inning, but Rogers State was unable to get a run across, stranding the bases loaded.
• Central Oklahoma would threaten for the first time in the third inning, getting base runners to second and third, but Andrea Morales forced a pop out and a fly out to get out of the jam and keep the game scoreless.
• Central Oklahoma would break the scoreless tie in the fifth inning. After a leadoff walk, a single by Brighton Gilbert put runners on the corners for the Bronchos. In the next at bat, Jacee Minter hit a sacrifice fly to score the opening run of the game.
• Hazel Puempel then stepped in and hit a two-run home run to center field to extend UCO's lead to 3-0.
• Jaylan Gibson led off the sixth inning for the Hillcats with a triple to right center. She would score later in the inning on a single to right field by Danelle Day to give the Hillcats their only run of the game.
• However, the Hillcats would strand a runner in the inning and be retired in order in the seventh.

Game Notes

• Gibson and Day recorded the only hits for the Hillcats, as both players went 2-for-3. Gibson had a single and a triple with a run scored.
• Day finished with two singles and a run batted in.
• Morales finished with seven strikeouts in six innings of work. She allowed three runs on five hits and three walks.
• The Hillcats fall to 1-2 against Central Oklahoma this season. Rogers State is just 1-5 all time against the Bronchos in Edmond.
• With the loss, the Hillcats fall to the loser's bracket of the MIAA Tournament and face elimination in all remaining games.

Up Next
Rogers State will await the loser of the matchup between No. 2 Central Missouri and No. 3 Missouri Southern for an elimination game on Friday. First pitch in the elimination game is set for 2 p.m. Should the Hillcats win the consolation game, they will play again at 5 p.m. on Friday for a chance to get to championship Saturday, where they would need two wins to claim the championship.