UCO Ready For Regional

TOURNAMENT WEBSITE

No. 14-ranked Central Oklahoma begins its quest for the NCAA Division II national championship this week when the Bronchos host the six-team Central Regional Tournament.

Three games will be held Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at Broncho Stadium, with one or two games on tap for Saturday's finals. The Central Region is made up of teams from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, the Great American Conference and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Third-seeded UCO, 35-12 and winners of the MIAA regular-season title, opens the tournament against No. 6 seed and GAC Tournament champion Arkansas Tech (28-16-1) at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

No. 19-rated and fourth-seeded Southern Arkansas (27-8) meets fifth-seeded Central Missouri (36-12) in Wednesday's first game at 12 p.m. Top-ranked and No. 1 seed Augustana (44-6) and No. 17-ranked and second-seeded Minnesota State-Mankato (38-8) received first-round byes.

The two first-round losers play an elimination contest in Wednesday's final game at 5 p.m.

"We're glad to still be playing and are looking forward to a great regional," head coach Cody White said. "We just need to embrace the challenge that's in front of us. We'll need to play better than we have all season, but our players aren't ready for the season to end and they're focused."

ABOUT THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT: Forty-eight teams make up the national tournament field, with eight six-team regionals held around the country this week.

The eight regional champions advance to the Division II World Series, which is scheduled May 27-31 in Denver, Colo.

UCO IN THE NATIONAL TOURNEY: The Bronchos are making their 16th national tournament appearance, including the 13th in Division II.

Central is 32-25 in the Division II playoffs, highlighted by a 9-0 run to the national championship in 2013. The Bronchos won regional titles in 2006, '12 and '13 to advance to the World Series

UCO's Division II playoff record by season:
2002 (1-2)
2005 (2-2)
2006 (5-2 – 4-0 in South Central Regional, 1-2 in World Series)
2008 (1-2)
2010 (0-2)
2012 (7-4 – 5-2 in South Central Regional, 2-2 in World Series)
2013 (9-0 – 5-0 in Central Regional, 4-0 in World Series)
2014 (1-2)
2015 (1-2)
2016 (1-2)
2017 (1-2)
2019 (3-3)

ABOUT UCO'S OFFENSE: The Bronchos are batting .299 as a team while averaging 8.0 hits and 5.6 runs per game.

UCO ranks third in Division II in sacrifice flies with 20 and is 14th in home runs with 47.

Seven players are hitting .300 or better for a balanced offensive attack, led by first-team All-Central Region selection Hazel Puempel.

The senior star is batting .359 with nine doubles, eight homers, four triples and 30 runs batted in with a team-high 15 multi-hit games.. She was named to the MIAA All-Tournament team after hitting .385 with two homers and six RBI in five games.

Taylor McKittrick has a .329 average with 10 doubles, Allie Eicher is hitting .317 with nine doubles, five homers and 23 RBI and Jacee Minter is batting .313 with 12 homers and a team-high 37 RBI.

Tarin Dubler adds a .310 average with seven doubles and 21 RBI, Brighton Gilbert is hitting .306 with eight doubles and 17 RBI and Amelya Huggins is at .303 with seven doubles and 17 RBI.

Shayla Harper tops the team and ranks 11th nationally in homers (15) to go along with 36 RBI and a .298 average. She's hitting a team-best .419 (13-for-31) with runners in scoring position

ABOUT UCO'S PITCHING: The Bronchos own a team earned run average of 2.52. UCO allows 6.5 hits and 2.8 runs a game.

Corrina Rivas and Kyla Lynch have carried the pitching load, having combined for 33 of the team's 35 wins and 263 of 314 1/3 innings.

Rivas is 15-6 with a 2.21 ERA in 139 2/3 innings. The junior right-hander has appeared in 27 games with 21 starts and has thrown 11 complete games.

Lynch has an 18-5 record and a 2.89 ERA in 133 1/3 innings. The freshman lefty has started 24 of the 28 games she's pitched in and has tossed 12 complete games.

ABOUT UCO'S DEFENSE: The Bronchos rank ninth nationally in team defense with a .977 fielding percentage. UCO has committed just 31 errors in 47 games.

ABOUT THE COACH: In his eighth season as UCO's head coach is Cody White, who reached the 300-win plateau in last week's MIAA Postseason Tournament final four. White, who has led the Bronchos to five 40-win seasons, owns a 300-122 career record.

He has guided UCO to six Division II national tournament appearances (2014, '15, '16, '17, '19 and '21) and three regular-season MIAA titles (2017, '19, '21). The Bronchos advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2019, losing in the Super Regional to eventual national champion Augustana.

White has coached 45 All-MIAA players, 22 All-Region players and eight All-Americans.

ABOUT AUGUSTANA: The Vikings have been ranked No. 1 most of the season and feature a powerful offense backed by a stingy pitching staff.

Augie is making its 27th Division II playoff appearance and won national championships in 1991 and 2019.

The Vikings are hitting .337 as a team while averaging 8.9 hits and 6.9 runs per game. Augie ranks third nationally in both homers (65) and stolen bases (116).

Pitching-wise, Augie gives up just 4.9 hits and 2.1 runs a game with a 1.99 ERA and ranks seventh in Division II with 13 shutouts.

NSIC Player of the Year Kendall Cornick is hitting .473 with 17 doubles, seven homers, 40 RBI and 33 stolen bases to lead the offense. Tori Chute is batting .380 with 15 doubles, nine homers and 58 RBI, while Mary Pardo is at .331 with 19 homers, 43 RBI and 26 stolen bases.

In the circle, Ashley Micksel leads the nation with 24 wins (24-3). She has 119 strikeouts and just 20 walks in 161 1/3 innings with a 1.82 ERA.

Augie owns a 13-5 lead in a series that started in 1983, including wins of 10-8 and 4-3 earlier this season in the Hy-Vee Classic in Emporia, Kan. The Vikings are up 4-0 in Division II playoff games, including a two-game sweep in the 2019 Central Regional Super Regional.

ABOUT MSU-MANKATO: The Mavericks earned the NSIC's automatic berth by winning the conference tournament, which included two wins over Augustana.

The 2017 national champions are making their 17th Division II national tournament appearance.

MSU-Mankato leads Division II in shutouts with 22 and ranks sixth nationally in team ERA at 1.41 while giving up just 5.1 hits and 1.7 runs per game. The Mavericks average 8.9 hits and 5.7 runs a contest behind a .326 team batting average.

NSIC Pitcher of the Year Mackenzie Ward tops the staff, having thrown nine shutouts. She's 22-4 with an 0.95 ERA and leads the country in strikeouts with 278 in 162 innings pitched.

Hannah McCarville sparks the offense with a .414 average, 12 doubles, four homers and 40 RBI. Torey Richards is also over the .400 mark at .403 to go along with seven doubles and 18 RBI, while Sydney Nielsen is hitting .353 with 10 homers and 43 RBI.

UCO and Mankato have met just five teams, with the Vikings leading the series 4-1.

ABOUT CENTRAL MISSOURI: The Jennies went 3-0 in claiming the MIAA Postseason Tournament title last weekend in Edmond. UCM opened with a 7-0 shutout of Missouri Southern, clipped the Bronchos 3-2 and then edged Rogers State 6-5 in the finals.

Central Missouri is making its 12th Division II playoff appearance.

The Jennies average 8.1 hits and 5.1 runs a game and are batting .308. UCM has a 2.24 team ERA while allowing 5.8 hits and 2.7 runs per outing.

A trio of first-team All-MIAA selections – outfielders Ashlyn Cook and Bailey Fowler and pitcher Paige Petefish – lead the team.

Cook is batting a team-high .360 with seven doubles, eight homers and 33 RBI. Abby Fischer has a .354 average with nine doubles, six homers and 19 RBI, while Fowler is hitting .348 with 20 doubles, three homers and 34 RBI.

Petefish has a 16-3 record and 1.84 ERA. She's struck out 114 and walked just 18 in 129 1/3 innings this season.

The Bronchos own a narrow 21-19 lead in a series that started in 1989. UCO swept the regular season doubleheader, winning 2-1 and 5-0 at home on March 27, before Central Missouri earning a 3-2 extra-inning win in last week's MIAA Postseason Tournament.

ABOUT SOUTHERN ARKANSAS: The Muleriders won the GAC regular-season title in earning their sixth Division II national tournament appearance.

SAU averages 8.3 hits and 6.4 runs a game behind a .311 team average. The Muleriders have a 2.00 team ERA while giving up 5.3 hits and 2.2 runs per contest.

Alese Casper leads the offense with a .394 average and six doubles. Laina Suesue is batting .353 with eight doubles, six homers and 28 RBI and Elisa Favela is at .343 with 11 doubles, nine homers and 26 RBI.

First-team All-GAC selection Victoria Taylor paces the pitching staff. She's 12-2 with a 2.12 ERA and has fanned 108 batters in 89 innings.

UCO has a 4-1 lead in a series that started in 2001.

ABOUT ARKANSAS TECH: The Golden Suns finished fourth in the regular-season standings, but went 3-0 in the single-elimination GAC Postseason Tournament last weekend to claim the crown and earn the league's automatic bid.

ATU has a .278 team batting average in averaging 7.2 hits and 4.7 runs a game. The Golden Suns allow 6.2 hits and 3.9 runs per contest with a 3.09 team ERA.

Arkansas Tech is making its fifth Division II playoff appearance.

Caitlyn Wells paces the offense with a .408 average, 15 doubles, four homers and 41 RBI. Paty Loredo is hitting .330 with nine doubles and first-team All-GAC pick Makenzie Addis is batting .278 with 11 homers and 29 RBI.

Shannon Lasey and Maddy Prough lead the pitching staff. Lasey is 11-5 with a 2.56 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 93 innings, while Prough is 9-5 with a Division II-leading seven saves and a 2.87 ERA.

UCO has a 5-2 lead in a short series that started in 2016. Three of those meetings came in the 2019 Central Regional I Tournament in Edmond, with the Bronchos winning twice in advancing to the Central Super Regional. Central swept a home doubleheader with the Golden Suns on March 23, winning 13-5 and 12-2.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#4 Tarin Dubler: IF; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#10 Allie Eicher: IF; 5' 7"; Junior; L/R

#5 Brighton Gilbert: IF; 5' 5"; Junior; L/R

#25 Amelya Huggins: IF/C; 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R

#28 Hazel Puempel: OF; 5' 9"; Senior; L/R

#13 Corrina Rivas: P; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#11 Shayla Harper: IF; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

#12 Jacee Minter: OF; 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R

#23 Taylor McKittrick: IF; 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#4 Tarin Dubler
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: IF

#10 Allie Eicher
: 5' 7"; Junior; L/R
: IF

#5 Brighton Gilbert
: 5' 5"; Junior; L/R
: IF

#25 Amelya Huggins
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF/C

#28 Hazel Puempel
: 5' 9"; Senior; L/R
: OF

#13 Corrina Rivas
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P

#11 Shayla Harper
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF

#12 Jacee Minter
: 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R
: OF

#23 Taylor McKittrick
: 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R
: IF