Kearney, Neb. – Junior first baseman Peter Kropf drove in five runs to help Central Oklahoma out slug Nebraska-Kearney, 13-10, Sunday afternoon at Memorial Field.

With the victory, UCO (10-6, 5-1) wins the series from UNK (6-10, 3-3).

On another windy day Memorial, the two teams combined for 26 hits including nine home runs. Loper junior third baseman Alex Achtermann (Denver, Colo.) had three of the long balls with UCO's cleanup hitter and catcher Dayne Sommer having a team-high two.

Leading from start finish, UCO jumped out to a 7-0 first inning lead as they belted three homers before UNK got a chance to come to the plate. Kropf (2 for 5, three runs), batting third, hit a three-run shot to start the festivities with Sommer (2 for 4, two runs and three RBI's) following with his first dinger of the spring.

It took two hours to play the first two innings as the Lopers scored five times in its half of the second to trail by three. Achtermann (3 for 5, three runs and four RBI's) led off with a homer to left center, true freshman catcher Will Olson (Millard West) hit a two-run shot to right and senior catcher Dallas Schramm (Millard North) mashed a two-run double to left.

"This time of year, with the wind blowing out of the south, Memorial does become a hitter's paradise. Those baseballs were hit hard by both sides but I don't think either side pitched very well today. I was proud of our guys for making it 13-10 after being down 7-0. We tried to get it to one swing in the ninth," said Loper head coach Damon Day.

Junior reliever Jared Bell (Clackamas, Oreg.) kept UNK in it as he blanked the 'Chos from the third through fifth innings. All toll, he struck out seven in five full innings.

"Jared came in and did a great job of kind of stemming the tide. We left him out there too long but we figured he had the hot hand so we wanted him to keep going," said Day.

Ahead 8-5, the UCO scored four times in its half of the sixth to get some breathing room. An infield single started the inning with Sommer hitting a two-run shot to left to cap things.

UNK had one in and the bases full with one down in the seventh. However, junior reliever Josh Rutland settled down and got two fly outs to the outfield to keep it a 13-8 game. The Lopers responded by getting out of bases loaded jam in the top of the eighth as junior Eric Sandoz (Austin, Texas) got a fly out to left on a 3-2 pitch.

Achtermann then his third long ball, another opposite field to left, in the bottom of the inning to complete the scoring. UCO southpaw Austin Lambright allowed one base runner in the ninth to earn the save.

"I was really proud of our team's effort all weekend. You have to tip your cap to UCO because they are a good team and one that'll be in the conference title hunt. We took one from them but unfortunately couldn't get this one," said Day.

Besides Achtermann's heroics, junior left fielder Brandon Hernandez (San Diego, Calif.) went 3 for 5 with two runs and junior leadoff hitter and center fielder Brett Young (Lodi, Calif.) was 1 for 4 with two runs and two RBI's.

For the 'Chos, leadoff hitter Jake Dyer (4 for 6, one run and one RBI) joined Kropf and Sommer with big days at the plate. Starter Tyler Culver (1-0) labored over six innings, allowing seven earned on nine hits and three walks, but picked up the win.

UNK hosts the Minot (N.D.) State Beavers next weekend at Memorial Field.