PITTSBURG -- The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team struck early, plating two runs apiece in the first and second innings, and the Bronchos held Pittsburg State University's potent offense in check in a 5-3 win Friday night (Apr. 1) at Al Ortolani Field.

UCO (18-10, 11-7 MIAA) and Pitt State (19-10, 14-4 MIAA) will resume a three-game MIAA series with a 2 p.m. (CST) contest Saturday (Apr. 2).

Noah Olson belted a two-run home run with two outs in the top of the first inning of Gorillas starter Tanner Lane (3-2) to stake the Bronchos to a quick 2-0 lead.

Kaden Fowler smacked a solo home ron on the first pitch he saw from UCO starter Lawson Isaacs to trim the lead to 2-1, but the Bronchos capitalized on a pair of Pitt State fielding errors to expand its margin to 4-1 after an inning and a half.

Relievers Beaux Bonvillain (3-0), Jacob Bailey and Kyle Patterson (Sv. 6) limited the Gorillas to three hits, and two runs, over the final 4.3 innings after Isaacs departed the contest with two outs in the fifth.

Garrett McGowan had a run-scoring single in Pitt State''s two-run seventh inning.