EDMOND, Okla. – SWOSU Baseball got edged 4-3 by No. 9 Central Oklahoma on Tuesday in a non-conference road contest at Wendell Simmons Field.

The Bulldogs (10-7) were searching for a second top-25 win in the midweek this year but came up just short. They led early, trailed through the middle innings, and eventually surrendered the go-ahead run in the eighth.

SWOSU opened up a 2-0 lead with one run in both the second and third innings. Ty Eastwood scored first after getting on base from a hit-by-pitch. Reece Burke homered to left field an inning later for his lone hit of the game.

UCO used a home run and a two-run double to grab the lead in the fourth inning. In the process, they chased SWOSU starter Josh Fluet from the game and got into the bullpen. With the Bronchos leading 3-2, the score stayed there through the fifth, sixth, and seventh until the Dawgs finally knotted things back up in the eighth.

After stranding the bases loaded in the seventh, SWOSU got back on the scoreboard in the eighth following a lead off error that allowed Connor Jeffers to reach base. He got small-balled over to third before Markus Coronado drove him in to tie the game 3-3.

In the home half of the eighth, UCO regained the lead thanks to a lead off double that came around to score. After the lead change, their closer came in for the ninth and earned the save. Final, 4-3 bad guys.

SWOSU outhit UCO 9-8 but had only one extra-base hit courtesy of Burke's home run. Coronado, Jackson Syring, and Marco Barrera all finished with two hits apiece.

Looking to capture the first conference series win of the season, the Dawgs return home this weekend to play host to Southeastern Oklahoma State. Game one is on Friday at 2:00 pm. The doubleheader commences Saturday at noon.