Baseball 2/1/2022 1:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

Baseball Set For 2022 Season To Begin

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team is all set to begin the 2022 season this weekend with the fourth annual Edmond First Pitch Classic at Wendell Simmons Field.

Central Oklahoma embarks on a new journey this weekend with the Bronchos hosting a three-day, nine-game festival to kickoff another season. UCO is scheduled to play Oklahoma Baptist Saturday at noon before taking on Northern State Sunday at 6 p.m. and Southwestern Oklahoma State Monday at 6 p.m.

The games have already been pushed back one day due to the threat of inclement weather this weekend. Any future changes to the schedule will be made public as soon as possible if necessary.

Pittsburg State and Emporia State are joining UCO, OBU, NSU and SWOSU in Edmond this weekend.

Central Oklahoma is coming off a 25-21 campaign in 2021. The Bronchos finished seventh in the MIAA last season but did make a run in the postseason tournament to the final. UCO looks to rebound in '22 and seventh-year head coach John Martin will try to do that with a mostly new squad.

"We've got a lot of new guys to there will be a little bit of an adjustment in the first few weeks," Martin said. "But we've got a lot of really competitive guys and we like this group. There are some question marks, but it's not if we can, it's who is going to. So, we know we have some options at a few positions and we're just going to see who is playing well and put them in the lineup and see what they can do for us."

Central Oklahoma is returning just 12 players from last year's roster with an 8-4 split for pitchers and position players.

Jacob Bailey and Kyler Patterson are two of the eight pitchers returning in 2022 and the duo are the veteran leaders of the staff. Beaux Bonvillain, Lawson Issacs and Owen Logan join them. That group of five pitchers have two years of experience with the Bronchos, including the abruptly canceled 2020 season. Ethan Wayland and Blake Bautz also return from last year's rotation. And Tanner Lawrence is back after sitting out last season with an injury.

Bailey has a 4.63 earned run average in 22 career appearances. He's made six starts – all last season – and has 69 strikeouts in 58 2/3 innings of work. Patterson has a 4.22 ERA in 34 career appearances. He's made five starts – all last season – and has 60 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings of work.

Bonvillain, one of three left-handed pitchers on staff, enters his third season with the Bronchos with a 2.79 ERA. He's come out of the bullpen in each of his 25 career appearances for UCO. Bonvillain has struck out 51 batters in 29 innings of work.

Isaacs (5.45) and Logan (5.72) are both middle relief options Martin uses regularly. The two have grown a little each year in the program and are expected to again this spring.

Bautz and Wayland both had reserve roles a year ago and will be called up for relief roles this season. Lawrence threw for the first time in over a year in an intersquad scrimmage last month and should also join the middle relievers.

Central Oklahoma has eight pitchers back from last season and the Bronchos have 15 total on the new year's roster. Several will be looked upon this spring to make a contribution.

Chase Lorg, Tucker Elliott and A.J. Ozorio-Brace can all be used in starting roles. Elliott and Ozorio-Brace can also be assets out of the pen. Coby Grimsley is another newcomer that can fill more than one role on the staff this season. Jace Farmer will be a solid addition out of the bullpen and Brian Skillman, coming back from surgery, can also help out once he is back healthy.

Now about the offense.

Central Oklahoma only returns four position players from last season. Garrett Takamatsu earned All-MIAA honors in 2021 after leading the Bronchos at the plate. He hit .368 a year ago with 53 hits that included 17 for extra bases. Takamatsu had 10 doubles, two triples and five home runs. He had 33 runs scored and 32 runs batted in.

Takamatsu caught a lot for the Bronchos in 2020 and 2021 but will be likely used more in a utility role this season. He can play first, second or third base in addition to filling in the designated hitter role this year too.

Zac Freeman, like Takamatsu, is also entering his third season with the Bronchos. Both have played 60 games for Martin over the past two seasons. Freeman is a .204 career hitter. He has 38 hits, six doubles, three triples and two home runs. Freeman has scored 36 runs and batted in 29 more.

Shane Nixon is also back this season. The infielder made his debut with the Bronchos in 2021 and hit .255 in 27 games played. Nixon had 26 hits, seven doubles and six home runs. He tallied 19 runs scored and 31 runs batted in.

The highlight moment of the 2021 season for Central came in the opening round of the MIAA postseason tournament. As the No. 7 seed, Central went to Joplin, Missouri to take on second-seeded Missouri Southern. The Bronchos lost Game 1, won Game 2, and then needed some magic in the rubber match.

Nixon had it.

Trailing 7-3 heading into eighth inning, Nixon capped off a seven-run inning with a grand slam. After UCO cut the 7-3 lead to just one run, 7-6, Nixon blasted a grand slam on a 2-1 pitch to give UCO a 10-7 lead. The Bronchos won 11-7 and eliminated MSSU.

Kaden Marshall is the fourth returner for the Bronchos. He sat out a redshirt season in 2020 and then played a reserve role last season. Marshall played in 14 games for the Bronchos, collecting four hits in 28 at bats. He scored three runs and also had four RBIs.

UCO is going to have three new catchers in 2022.

Wyatt Gray, Dave Janssen, and Jose Luna all give Martin options behind the plate. Gray is coming of a surgery that will lessen his time behind the plate but he won't be ruled out as an option at DH while he continues to work back to full strength in the gear. Janssen is a strong option behind the plate, won't let runners steal any bases, and brings value to the plate with a competitive approach. Luna is solid behind the plate too and is a smart hitter.

Martin has a competitive infield group too.

Freeman can play both outfield and middle infield and might end up there at any point during the season based on matchups. Takamatsu adds options to several positions. Nixon will compete for time in the middle. And newcomer Jaden Parsons will likely be in the lineup opposite of Nixon in the middle.

Seth Gray, Austin Lambert and Trevor Stevens will all be competing for innings on the corners and Alex Austin will compete for time at first base.

Martin says all seven outfielders have the ability to play more than one position in the field. Freeman spent a lot of time in center field last season. Kaleb Glass, Noah Olson, Clayton Peterson and Landen Wood all add new options. Marshall spent his time in right field and will contend for innings there again. Gatlin Goodson is another newcomer that is working for some time in the outfield.

Martin enters his seventh season leading the Bronchos. He has a 184-108-1 record through six seasons and has made the MIAA's postseason tournament in each season (minus the canceled 2020 campaign). Martin has also led UCO to the NCAA Tournament three times, making postseason appearances in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Central Oklahoma will open the 2022 season with the Edmond First Pitch Classic at some point this weekend. The Bronchos are scheduled to play 49 games this season with 25 coming at Wendell Simmons Field. UCO is scheduled to play 33 MIAA games this season, 17 of which home games.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#4 Zac Freeman: IF; 6' 0"; Junior; L/R

#35 Jacob Bailey: P; 6' 0"; Sophomore; */R

#11 Beaux Bonvillain: P; 6' 0"; Junior; */L

#41 Owen Logan: P; 6' 4"; Junior; */R

#40 Kaden Marshall: OF; 6' 3"; Freshman; R/R

#37 Blake Bautz: P; 6' 3"; Junior; */L

#9 Tanner Lawrence: P; 6' 1"; Junior; R/R

#7 Shane Nixon: IF; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

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

#4 Zac Freeman
: 6' 0"; Junior; L/R
: IF

#35 Jacob Bailey
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; */R
: P

#11 Beaux Bonvillain
: 6' 0"; Junior; */L
: P

#41 Owen Logan
: 6' 4"; Junior; */R
: P

#40 Kaden Marshall
: 6' 3"; Freshman; R/R
: OF

#37 Blake Bautz
: 6' 3"; Junior; */L
: P

#9 Tanner Lawrence
: 6' 1"; Junior; R/R
: P

#7 Shane Nixon
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: IF