Baseball 2/22/2021 10:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Baseball Is Back

Central Oklahoma Will Make Return To Diamond Nearly One Year Later

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team will make its long-awaited return to the diamond Tuesday evening when the Bronchos take on East Central at Wendell Simmons Field.

Central Oklahoma has not played a baseball game in 349 days. It was March 10, 2020 and it was against East Central, when the Bronchos last took the field. The global health crisis shut it all down just a couple days after that game.

"The guys are just ready to play," UCO head coach John Martin said. "Like everyone else, last spring was just terrible the way it ended. We're all just ready to get back on the field and play some games against someone that's not wearing the same uniform. I'm looking forward to seeing how the guys come out and what level of intensity they bring. I'm sure it'll be exciting."

Martin enters his sixth season as Central's skipper. He posts a record of 159-87-1 in five seasons.

UCO was supposed to make this return to play two weeks ago, but winter weather forced the cancellation of the third annual Edmond First Pitch Classic. Central also had two other games postponed due to weather.

Now the Bronchos are ready to go. Central was picked 24th in one preseason national poll and 12th in another. The Bronchos moved up to No. 11 in the latter poll before falling down to No. 22 even though Central has yet to play a game.

UCO returns starters at every infield position and has returning lettermen in the outfield as well. The Bronchos also return 12 pitchers from last year's squad that was one of the best staffs in the country.

UCO had a team ERA of 3.54 but had three pitchers that didn't yield a single run and six pitchers who managed a 1.59 ERA or better. Central had a blistering 235 strikeouts in 20 games played, an average of 11.7 per game.

Offensively, Central Oklahoma was performing at a better rate than it had in several years last season before the shutdown.

The Bronchos were hitting .301 as a team and had six players batting .325 or better. Central had 205 hits in 20 games, including 72 for extra bases.

Luke Anderson should be key in leading UCO's pitching staff this spring. The junior had a 3.60 ERA in five appearances last season and went 2-0 with 33 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched.

Brayden Nelson, whose 2.14 ERA in 2019 tied a single season school record, had a 3.72 ERA in 2020 and posted 28 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings of work through nine appearances.

Beaux Bonvillain posted a 0.84 ERA and had 21 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings of work as the top option to close out games last season. Kyler Patterson (11.1 IP), Jake Terry (7.0 IP) and Jacob Bailey (6.0 IP) all had 0.00 ERAs last season.

Garrett Takamatsu posted a .384 batting average in 19 games played last season. He had a team-high 28 hits, five doubles, four home runs, and one triple, to go with his 16 RBIs and 17 runs scored.

Colton Bertus (.360) had 27 hits and 15 RBIs to go with 13 runs scored. Philip Scott (.346) also had 27 hits and had 15 RBIs to go with a team-high 20 runs scored.

Joe Mondragon (.328), Brett Hopkins (.394 in 10 games) and Carson Green (.325 in 11 games) also lend a big hand in Central's offense. Kyle Crowl (.293 in 12 games) and Cacy Harper (six RBIs off five hits) will also contribute regularly.

The Bronchos beat East Central 14-9 on March 10, 2020. UCO had 20 hits in the 20th game of the 2020 season. Central Oklahoma has not lost to East Central in a baseball game since 2012 and has won 10 straight in the series.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#14 Brayden Nelson: P; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#15 Kyler Patterson: P; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

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

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

#34 Cacy Harper: C; 6' 4"; Junior; R/R

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#14 Brayden Nelson
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: P

#15 Kyler Patterson
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: P

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

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

#34 Cacy Harper
: 6' 4"; Junior; R/R
: C

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