Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Southern Connecticut State University softball team rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie the score in the sixth inning, only to have No. 2 nationally ranked Central Oklahoma score twice in its final at-bat to claim a 6-4 win over the Owls on Thursday evening. With the loss, SCSU will now face No.1 nationally ranked Valdosta State (Ga.) in an elimination game on Friday morning at 10 a.m.

The Owls are now 43-12 on the year, while the Bronchos are 46-7.

All 10 runs were scored in the final three innings. The clubs were scoreless heading into the fifth until Central Oklahoma scored three times on three hits and two errors. The Bronchos then added another run in the sixth to build a 4-0 lead.

The Owls rallied in their next at-bat to even the score. Brittany Bucko (Wallington, N.J.) reached on an error to start the threat. One out later, Kristin Whitley (North Andover, Mass.) singled to put two runners on. Alyssa Downs (Seymour, Conn.) also reached on an error to load the bases before Kate Hoffman (Orange, Conn.) plated Bucko and Whitley with a two-run double. After a groundout, Stacy Pouliot (Mystic, Conn.) singled to shortstop. However, when the UCO shortstop threw the ball away, pinch runner Alyssa Pagano (Monroe, Conn.) followed Downs across the plate to tie the game.



However, the tie was short-lived, as Central Oklahoma scored twice in the top of the seventh to take a two-run lead. The Owls brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh but were unable to tie it up.

Jayme Larson (Aurora, Colo.) scattered eight hits on the day and allowed just two earned runs.