Baseball 3/9/2020 1:32:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Visits East Central Tuesday

ADA, Okla. – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team is scheduled to trek south to East Central University Tuesday for a 3 p.m. non-conference matchup.

The Bronchos head to ECU 16-3 on the season and ranked 15th in the country. The Tigers are 8-14 overall this season. Tuesday will be the second matchup between the two former league foes this season. UCO won 7-4 back on February 12 in Edmond.

UCO has won six in a row and 12 of 13 overall. A dominant pitching staff has been key to Central's success as of late, but its offense is lending a hand as well.

Central boasts a 3.25 earned run average, allowing just 3.6 runs per game off only 6.8 hits per game. UCO also is among the best in the country in the strikeout discussion. The Bronchos have tallied 226 strikeouts in just 19 games, 11.8 per game. UCO's total strikeout number of 226 is the fifth-best mark in the country.

Offensively, Central hits .292 as a team, scoring 7.2 runs per game on 9.7 hits per game. The Bronchos have a total of 185 hits through 19 games, with 65 going for extra bases.

UCO gets help up and down the lineup on offense. Brett Hopkins has a team-high .414 batting average, with 12 hits and 12 RBIs in nine games played this season. Garrett Takamatsu is hitting .353 with 24 hits, 16 runs scored, and 15 RBIs in 18 games played. Colton Bertus, who has played in all 19 games, is hitting .352 with a team-high 25 hits. Bertus has 13 RBIs and has scored 11 runs.

Carson Green (.343), Joe Mondragon (.328), and Philip Scott (.301) all help out as well. Green has five doubles, two home runs, and 11 total RBIs this season. Mondragon has 21 hits in 18 games played, including five doubles as well. Scott leads the team with 18 runs scored and has 22 hits in 19 games played.

East Central enters Tuesday's midweek 8-14 overall this season. The Tigers have a .264 team batting average, putting up 5.9 runs per game on 8.1 hits per game. Hayden George leads the team with a .375 batting average, posting a team-high 30 hits and seven doubles.

ECU's pitching staff has a 7.32 ERA. The Tigers allow eight runs per game on 11.7 hits per game. East Central also has a total of 132 strikeouts in 22 games, an average of six per game.

Central Oklahoma will be home for the next seven games following Tuesday's midweek. The Bronchos host Emporia State for a three-game MIAA series beginning Friday, Northeastern State for a single MIAA game a week from Tuesday, and Missouri Southern for a three-game league series the following weekend.

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Players Mentioned

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

#24 Carson Green: C; 6' 3"; Junior; 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

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

Players Mentioned

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

#24 Carson Green
: 6' 3"; Junior; R/R
: C

#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

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