Baseball 3/31/2022 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Visits Pittsburg State

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The UCO baseball team is scheduled to visit Pittsburg State University this weekend for a three-game MIAA series that begins Friday night at 6 p.m.

Central will also play Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at noon.

"We had a good midweek and we need to keep that kind of level of play this weekend," UCO head baseball coach John Martin said. "We've been up and down and we're good when we're up, so we need to find a way to stay at that level."

Central Oklahoma is 17-12 overall this season and has a 10-7 record in the MIAA. The Bronchos had a five-game win streak, including three consecutive run-rule victories, snapped last weekend. But UCO responded with a win Tuesday at Northeastern State to get back in the win column.

Central heads to Pittsburg averaging 7.6 runs per game on 9.1 hits per game. The Bronchos have a team batting average of .278 through 29 games played this season.

UCO allows 5.8 runs per game on 8.1 hits per game and opponents are hitting just .250 against the Bronchos.

Offensively, Central Oklahoma is led by junior outfielder Landen Wood. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native is hitting .361 through 26 games played. He has 30 hits, including three doubles and one home run. Wood also has 17 runs batted in and has scored 15 times.

Jaden Parsons is hitting .340 through 15 games played. After missing a few weeks with an injury, Parsons has 18 hits, including seven doubles and one triple. He has just six RBIs but has scored 15 runs in 15 games.

Clayton Peterson, who is hitting .336 on the season, owns the team lead with 38 hits through 29 games played. He has nine doubles, two homers and one triple. Peterson, who is from Edmond, has 33 RBIs and 25 runs scored. He also leads the team with 13 stolen bases (16 attempts).

Garrett Takamatsu, from Burlington, Ontario, is hitting .304 this season. He and Peterson have played in and started all 29 games this season. Takamatsu has 31 hits, including a team-high 10 home runs. He also has three doubles and leads the team with 34 RBIs. Takamatsu has scored a team-high 30 runs too.

Central Oklahoma has used 14 pitchers this season and has started eight different arms. The Bronchos opened the year with Jacob Bailey, Chase Lorg and Tucker Elliott as the starting rotation. Martin moved to a bullpen method a couple of weeks ago and has seen good results.

Bailey has a 5.91 ERA in 11 appearances (five starts). He has 46 strikeouts in 35 innings of work. Lorg has 23 Ks in 26 1/3 innings of work and has an 8.20 ERA in eight appearances (five starts). Elliott has a 6.34 ERA in seven appearances (all starts). He has a team-high 47 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings pitched.

Kyler Patterson and Beaux Bonvillain anchor the Broncho staff and have appeared in games at almost all opportunities. Patterson has a 0.77 ERA in 13 appearances and is one of just a few not to start a game this season. He has 36 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings of work. Bonvillain has a 1.61 ERA in 13 appearances, including two starts, and has 28 Ks in 22 1/3 innings pitched.

Lawson Isaacs has also been both a starter and a reliever. He is 4-2 on the mound in 15 appearances (four starts). He has 31 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings. Isaacs threw a perfect game earlier this month at Fort Hays State, just the 28th perfect game in Division II history. He followed that starting with 5 2/3 no-hit innings in his next start.

Pittsburg State is 19-9 this season and has a 14-3 record in the MIAA. The Gorillas are 13-2 at home and have won four in a row entering this weekend.

PSU averages 9.9 runs per game on 11.8 hits per game and the team has a .337 batting average. Pitt State allows 7.5 runs per game on 9.3 hits per game and opponents are .280 against the Gorillas.

Central Oklahoma will play its three-game MIAA series this weekend and return home for a midweek non-conference game Tuesday against Southeastern Oklahoma State. The Bronchos will then get back on the road as UCO visits Washburn in Topeka, Kansas next weekend.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#31 Lawson Isaacs: P; 5' 10"; Junior; */R

#0 Jaden Parsons: SS; 5' 10"; Sophomore; L/R

#5 Clayton Peterson: OF; 5' 10"; Senior; R/R

#6 Landen Wood: OF; 6' 0"; Junior; L/L

#23 Tucker Elliott: P; 5' 11"; Junior; */R

#44 Chase Lorg: P; 6' 1"; Senior; */R

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#31 Lawson Isaacs
: 5' 10"; Junior; */R
: P

#0 Jaden Parsons
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; L/R
: SS

#5 Clayton Peterson
: 5' 10"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#6 Landen Wood
: 6' 0"; Junior; L/L
: OF

#23 Tucker Elliott
: 5' 11"; Junior; */R
: P

#44 Chase Lorg
: 6' 1"; Senior; */R
: P