Baseball 2/27/2020 2:41:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Hosts Newman For Three-Game MIAA Series

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team opens Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play this weekend with a three-game series against Newman at Wendell Simmons Field. The Bronchos begin Friday at 5 p.m.

Central Oklahoma enters the weekend 10-2 and riding a seven-game win streak. The Bronchos received one vote in the national rankings earlier this week. Newman is 4-10 overall and on a two-game losing streak as they enter Edmond. This will be the first meeting between the two schools since Newman joined the MIAA last summer.

Central hasn't met the Jets of Wichita, Kan. since 2012. Newman owns the all-time series lead, having won 8 of 10 overall. After winning the first seven meetings, Central won two in 2011 before NU took the most recent meeting the next year.

UCO will look to its dominating pitching staff for help in earning a win over Newman. The Bronchos enter the weekend with a 3.28 team earned run average, allowing just under four runs per game on just over seven hits per game. Central boasts one of the best strikeout staffs in the country, tallying 147 strikeouts, 12.2 per game, through 12 games played this season.

Dylan Hall, who is expected to start Friday, is coming off earning MIAA Pitcher of the Week following a 14-strikeout performance last Friday. The senior righty is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA and has 31 strikeouts in 19 innings of work.

Luke Anderson (1-0) has a 3.21 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 14 innings, and Colton Croft (2-0) has 1.54 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings of work.

Offensively, the Bronchos have a team batting average of .271, averaging 7.5 runs per game on an even nine hits per game.

Brett Hopkins (.435), Joe Mondragon (.366), Philip Scott (.333), and Colton Bertus (.318) all lead the way. The quartet have combined for 55 hits this season, 14 doubles, two triples, and four home runs.

Garrett Takamatsu (.282) and Kyle Crowl (.275) also have 11 hits each. Crowl's six doubles leads the team and Takamatsu's three home runs is a team high for the Bronchos too.

Newman brings a staff with a 7.80 ERA and an offense hitting .239 on the season. The Jets have 85 strikeouts in 14 games, an average of six per game. And Newman has a combined 108 hits, 28 doubles, three triples and five home runs.

Central Oklahoma and Newman will face off Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m., and Sunday at noon in the MIAA series. UCO then returns to non-conference play with a midweek against Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Bronchos hit the road next weeked for an MIAA series at Fort Hays State.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Colton Bertus: 2B/3B; 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#23 Colton Croft: P; 6' 1"; Sophomore; R/R

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

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

#17 Joe Mondragon: 1B; 6' 1"; Senior; L/R

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

#33 Garrett Takamatsu: C; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#25 Luke Anderson: P; 6' 2"; Junior; */R

#20 Brett Hopkins: C; 5' 10"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#1 Colton Bertus
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: 2B/3B

#23 Colton Croft
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

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

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

#17 Joe Mondragon
: 6' 1"; Senior; L/R
: 1B

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

#33 Garrett Takamatsu
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: C

#25 Luke Anderson
: 6' 2"; Junior; */R
: P

#20 Brett Hopkins
: 5' 10"; Junior; R/R
: C