Baseball 3/25/2019 3:53:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Hosts Oklahoma Christian

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team is scheduled to host Oklahoma Christian Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Wendell Simmons Field.

The non-conference matchup is the second of three between the schools this season. OC won the first game, 8-5 on Feb. 3.

Central Oklahoma welcomes Oklahoma Christian to Edmond winners of three straight. UCO earned all three of those wins against Pittsburg State this past weekend and did so by shutting down its Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association foe. The Bronchos held PSU scoreless in 25 of 27 innings played this weekend.

Central has a team earned run average of 3.54, which is among the best in Division II. UCO allows an even four runs per game this season and on average, gives up seven hits per game. The defense, which has the No. 1-rated fielding percentage in the country, has been good, but has also been limited thanks to Central's dominant strikeout rates.

The Bronchos have 267 strikeouts this season, 10.6 per game, over the course of 25 games played. Central Oklahoma has recorded at least 10 strikeouts in 15 of 25 games and in six of the last seven.

Dylan Hall leads the way with 56 total strikeouts, while Landon Bond's 14.82 strikeouts per nine innings is a team-high. Hall is a Friday starter with a 4-2 record and a 3.83 ERA. Bond, who is mainly a long-relief lefty, has 45 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings and has a 3.29 ERA.

The Bronchos have used 10 different arms this season and seven of those student-athletes have more strikeouts than innings pitched.

At the plate, Central enters Tuesday's game with a team batting average of .250. The Bronchos average just over five runs per game and just under eight hits per game. UCO has 198 total hits, with 64 for extra bases (35 doubles, 20 home runs, and nine triples).

Philip Scott's nine doubles leads the Bronchos. He also has the team-high for batting average (.330), hits (30), and walks (22). Scott is also among the team leaders in runs scored (17) and runs batted in (13).

Brice West, Paul Kropf, and Kyle Crowl also lead UCO at the plate. West has a .325 average and is second on the team with 25 hits this season. Kropf is hitting .258 this season and has a team-high six home runs. He is third on the team with 24 hits. Crowl, who has five homers, is hitting .253 this season and is the fourth Broncho with more than 20 hits. He has 23.

Central Oklahoma will return to MIAA play this weekend, and hit the road for just the second time all season. UCO plays at Missouri Western Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before returning home for another midweek non-con against East Central next Tuesday.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Landon Bond: P; 6' 1"; Senior; */L

#25 Paul Kropf: 1B; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#7 Brice West: OF/1B; 6' 4"; Sophomore; R/R

#27 Philip Scott: 2B/3B; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#13 Dylan Hall: P; 6' 5"; Junior; R/R

#12 Kyle Crowl: IF; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#11 Landon Bond
: 6' 1"; Senior; */L
: P

#25 Paul Kropf
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: 1B

#7 Brice West
: 6' 4"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF/1B

#27 Philip Scott
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: 2B/3B

#13 Dylan Hall
: 6' 5"; Junior; R/R
: P

#12 Kyle Crowl
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: IF