UNO 7, UCM 6 (9 inn.)
UNO 6, UCM 5

OMAHA, Neb. - The 13th-ranked UNO softball team outlasted Central Missouri in two slugfests on Friday, 7-6 (9 inn.) and 6-5 in a sweep over the Jennies at Claussen-Westgate Field.

UNO got a walk-off win in game one when #Amber Lutmer hit a bloop single down the right field line to score Katelyn Hinton# from second with one down in the bottom of the ninth inning.

In the second game, UNO broke a 4-4 deadlock in the bottom of the fifth inning with two runs, then #Lindsey Slocum# held on for the win in the seven after surrendering a two-out pinch-hit home run that made it 6-5.

With the wins, UNO moved to 32-6 on the season and 9-1 in the MIAA. The pesky Jennies fell to 20-16 and 5-5.

Central Missouri came out swinging, dinging three-time MIAA Pitcher of the Week #Beth Haley# for two runs and four hits in the first inning. The Mavs answered in the bottom of the first though when Slocum hit a three-run double to the wall in right center.

The Jennies produced three more hits and a run to tie the game in the third inning, then took the lead in the fifth. #Dana Elsasser# came in in relief of Haley with runners on first and second and allowed a single by Brittany Martin to make it 4-3 UCM.

Again, UNO answered in the bottom half, as #Lauren Larson# hit a solo shot to centerfield to tie the game. In the top of the sixth, though, UCM regained the lead with two more runs to make it 6-4.

Hinton opened up the bottom of the seventh with a walk but was forced out at second when Slocum hit into a fielder's choice. But Lutmer played the hero for the first time on the day, tying the game with a two-run homer to left center.

Haley came back in to pitch the extra innings and allowed just one hit and no runs in the eighth and ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, Hinton singled and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Slocum. Lutmer then stepped in and blooped a ball just over the outstretched glove of the first baseman, Kelli Kurka, scoring Hinton from second for the win.

Lutmer finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Slocum also had three RBIs on two doubles.

In the second half of the twinbill, the Mavs seemed more in control after a four-run first inning, but the Jennies would again fight back. #Alli Hukill# keyed the big first inning with a three-run triple down the right field line. But in the third, the Jennies got back in the game on a three-run homer by Braylyn Bivens.

With the game tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth, Hukill was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to walk in a run, then #Emma Wright# singled home Slocum for a 6-4 lead.

Jaydee Young hit a solo homer in the top of the seventh for UCM to make things interesting, but Slocum held on for the win to improve to 9-2 this season. Hukill's four RBIs paced the Mavs.

UNO's doubleheader with Southwest Baptist on Saturday at Claussen-Westgate Field has been moved to an 11 a.m. start time to avoid potential bad weather later in the afternoon.