TAHLEQUAH – #2-ranked Central Oklahoma hit three homers and slugged past Northeastern State 9-5 to sweep the MIAA series on Sunday afternoon. 

The loss is the fourth straight for the RiverHawks who are now 20-17 overall and 8-6 in the MIAA. 

Jess Schuler went 3-for-3 at the plate hitting a double and homer for the RiverHawks who were out-hit 11-for-8.  Haley Acrey had a three-RBI game and hit her fifth homer of the year. 

Central Oklahoma (31-3, 13-1 MIAA) jumped ahead in the opening frame hitting a leadoff homer to center field.  

The RiverHawks pulled even with the Bronchos in the second after opening the inning with back-to-back doubles.  Kelsey Harmon plated Sierra Crick for her 12th RBI of the season.  Harmon would end up at third with one out but was left stranded.

In the third, a leadoff bunt single by UCO led into a two-run homer to pull them back ahead by two.  Northeastern State grabbed a run back in the bottom half of the frame with Acrey getting an RBI sac fly to score Addie Elbon in from third to trail 3-2. 

The Bronchos added to their lead in the fifth hitting a two-out double to center to score two runners.  In the bottom half of the frame, Schuler trimmed down the UCO lead by one with her fifth homer of the season to make it a 5-3 ballgame. 

Central continued to add to their lead scoring three in the sixth and one more in the seventh off an NSU fielding error.

Acrey scored two runs for NSU with two outs in the seventh to get to the final score. 

Sydney Balderrama (7-8) tossed a complete game for the RiverHawks. 

Northeastern State returns to action on Monday afternoon where they will travel to Rogers State for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.