Baseball 3/18/2021 9:25:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Visits Missouri Southern For Weekend MIAA Series

JOPLIN, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team will make an MIAA road trip this weekend with the Bronchos set to take on Missouri Southern for a three-game series beginning Friday afternoon.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. The schools will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. to complete the league series.

Central Oklahoma is 7-4 this season and on a three-game win streak. Missouri Southern is 13-2 and currently ranked No. 3 in the country in the latest national poll.

UCO is averaging 8.3 runs per game this season and does so on 10.3 hits per game. The Bronchos scored a season-high 20 runs earlier this week in a seven-inning run-rule blowout of Oklahoma Christian. The Bronchos also scored 17 runs in their midweek game two weeks ago.

Ryan Harrel, at an even .400, is the team's leader in batting average. He has 14 hits, two for extra bases, and has scored nine runs to go with his seven RBIs.

Joe Mondragon, Garrett Takamatsu, Kyle Crowl, Brett Hopkins and Philip Scott each have batting averages over .300 this season.

Mondragon leads all Bronchos with 17 hits in 11 games. He's hitting .395 and is also the team leader in runs scored with 14. Takamatsu had 16 hits in 11 games, a .390 batting average, and has a team-high 12 RBIs to go with another dozen runs scored.

Crowl, with a team-high three homers, is hitting .325 through 11 games. He has 13 hits, 11 RBIs, and nine runs scored. Crowl also leads the team with three doubles. Hopkins, hitting .317, has 13 hits and 12 runs scored. Scott, hitting .302, also has 13 hits and has scored 10 runs in 11 games.

Defensively, UCO allows 4.7 runs per game, seven hits per game, and opponents are hitting just .223 against the Bronchos. UCO's pitching staff has a team ERA of 4.35.

Luke Anderson (1.76) has a team-high 24 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings of work so far this season. Anderson is 1-1 on the mound in three starts. Kyler Patterson (5.52) has 21 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings of work. He is 2-1 on the mound in three starts. Grant Larson, a senior transfer from California, has a 3.94 ERA in 16 innings of work. He has totaled 14 strikeouts and only given up 15 hits. Larson is 1-1 on the mound.

Missouri Southern offensively welcomes Central to Joplin with a team batting average of just .264. The Lions average 6.1 runs per game on 8.9 hits per game. MSSU does have 21 home runs in 15 games played.

Defensively, Missouri Southern makes a living off its pitching staff. The Lions have a team ERA of 2.52 and opponents have just a .230 batting average against MSSU. Southern allows just 2.8 runs per game and 7.2 hits per game.

Central Oklahoma is scheduled to return to Wendell Simmons Field next weekend after back-to-back road series. The Bronchos are scheduled to host Pittsburg State next Saturday and Sunday.

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Players Mentioned

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

#2 Ryan Harrel: SS; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

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

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

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

#44 Grant Larson: P; 6' 7"; Senior; */L

Players Mentioned

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

#2 Ryan Harrel
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: SS

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

#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

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

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

#44 Grant Larson
: 6' 7"; Senior; */L
: P