WEATHERFORD, Okla. – For the second time in three days, Bulldog Baseball took down a team ranked in the NCBWA Top 25 poll after fending off #23-ranked Central Oklahoma by a score of 5-4 on Monday afternoon at the SWOSU Athletic Complex.
 
SWOSU scored the first three runs of the game and maintained a lead of 4-1 in the fourth inning after Tyler Benge put down a squeeze bunt to score Jason Begin from third. UCO scored the next four runs, tying the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI groundout. The difference in the game came on an RBI single from Alex Bedard in the bottom of the sixth that brought Begin home for the go-ahead run.
 
The Bulldogs won the game despite having just four hits in the game, one apiece for Bedard, Brayden Whitchurch, Ryan Dos Santos and Begin, who scored twice while Bedard, Whitchurch and Dos Santos accounted for the other runs.
 
Five pitchers split up the nine innings on the hill, with Matt Hopkins getting the start and striking out four in 2.2 innings of work. Vance Ferraro also struck out four and allowed one unearned run in 2.1 innings before Ryan Hildner (1-0) tossed two innings to pick up the win. Chase Hamilton (1) shut the door on UCO, striking out three in the final two innings and getting a groundout to end the game with two runners in scoring position.
 
SWOSU returns to action this weekend when they host Oklahoma Baptist for a three-game series at the Athletic Complex on Friday and Saturday.