No. 2 UCO Goes To Missouri This Weekend

No. 2-ranked Central Oklahoma takes a break from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association schedule this weekend when the Bronchos travel to St. Joseph, Mo. for the Hy-Vee Classic.

UCO, 24-1 on the season and riding a 20-game winning streak that ranks as the second-longest in school history, will take on three Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rivals -- including a pair of top-25 teams -- in the two-day event hosted by Missouri Western.

The Bronchos open Friday morning at 10 a.m. against No. 17 Augustana (16-4), then return Saturday to take on No. 22 Winona State (13-3) at 9 a.m. before finishing against Northern State (8-10) at 1 p.m. Central was originally slated to play six games in three days, but flooding at other fields that were to be used forced a change in the schedule.

"This is going to be a big weekend for us," said head coach Cody White, whose team went 1-4 in this event last year. "These are important games against regional teams and we need to play well. But I love the mentality of our team and I know our girls will come out ready to compete."

UCO has prospered behind a potent offense and stingy pitching in reeling off 20 straight wins, including a 6-0 start in conference play.

The Bronchos are among the NCAA Division II national leaders in several offensive categories, ranking first in doubles per game (2.56), third in scoring (8.36 runs/game), fourth in average (.376), fifth in slugging percentage (.563) and sixth in on-base percentage (.448).

Eight starters are batting at least .318, with three over the .400 mark.

JoBi Heath continues to pace UCO with a .446 average and the senior star leads the country in doubles (19) in addition to ranking fifth in runs batted in (37) and 10th in total bases (71). She's also clubbed a team-high five home runs.

Junior Hazel Puempel and senior Carli Jones are hitting .417 apiece. Puempel is 18th nationally in doubles (10) and 20th in RBI (30), while Jones has seven doubles, 21 RBI and a team-leading .548 on-base percentage.

Three other players are over .350 – sophomore Lexy Dobson (.395), senior Casady Webb (.369) and senior Bailey Thompson (.364). Dobson has five doubles and 19 RBI, Webb four homers and 29 RBI and Thompson ranks 11th nationally in triples (four) to go along with a team-best nine stolen bases.

Senior Sydney McLeod and freshman Bailey McKittrick have done most of the work in the pitching circle.

McLeod is 11-1 with a 1.81 earned run average, having thrown six complete games in 12 starts. McKittrick is 11-0 with a 1.83 ERA, has struck out 51 batters and is allowing teams to hit just .219 against her.

Augustana and Winona are perennial national tournament qualifiers from the NSIC and both are expected to once again be main contenders in that league.

Augie, which has won eight straight games, is batting .332 as a team and carries a 1.59 team ERA. Winona has a paltry team ERA of 1.12 to go along with a .325 team average.

UCO will be playing Northern State for the first time.

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Players Mentioned

#8 Lexy Dobson: OF; 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R

#13 JoBi Heath: IF/OF; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#15 Carli Jones: 1B; 5' 7"; Senior; L/R

#22 Bailey Thompson: OF; 5' 4"; Senior; L/R

#7 Casady Webb: UT; 5' 5"; Senior; R/R

#27 Bailey McKittrick: P; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

#35 Sydney McLeod: P; 5' 10"; Junior; -/L

#28 Hazel Puempel: UT; 5' 9"; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#8 Lexy Dobson
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#13 JoBi Heath
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: IF/OF

#15 Carli Jones
: 5' 7"; Senior; L/R
: 1B

#22 Bailey Thompson
: 5' 4"; Senior; L/R
: OF

#7 Casady Webb
: 5' 5"; Senior; R/R
: UT

#27 Bailey McKittrick
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: P

#35 Sydney McLeod
: 5' 10"; Junior; -/L
: P

#28 Hazel Puempel
: 5' 9"; Junior; L/R
: UT