No. 10 Bronchos To Host NSU, No. 2 Rogers State

No. 10-ranked Central Oklahoma wraps up the regular-season home schedule this weekend when the Bronchos host a pair of intrastate rivals for back-to-back Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association doubleheaders.

UCO, 34-6 for the season and 13-1 in league play, takes on Northeastern State (21-18, 9-5) at 2 p.m. Friday at Gerry Pinkston Stadium before facing No. 2 Rogers State (35-3, 14-0) at noon Saturday. The Hillcats have a one-game lead in the conference race over the defending champion Bronchos with 12 games remaining.

It will also be Senior Day Saturday, with Brighton Gilbert, Lexy Dobson, Tarin Dubler and Bailey McKittrick set to be recognized between games.

"It's a huge weekend for us," head coach Cody White said. "We have a long history with NSU and it's always a battle when we play them. Then we have to come back the next day against Rogers, who has one of the best teams in the country.

"There's no doubt that we'll have to be at the top of our game both days. It's going to be a tremendous challenge, but our players are looking forward to it."

UCO ends the regular season with eight straight road games, then will host the eight-team MIAA Postseason Tournament May 4-7.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO is 20-1 at Gerry Pinkston Stadium this season, with the lone loss a 3-2 setback to Missouri Western in the first game of a doubleheader on March 26.

The Bronchos have won seven straight games since that defeat, including a road sweep of Lincoln and Central Missouri last weekend. UCO outscored those two teams a combined 40-2 in four games.

Offense continues to be a strength for the Bronchos, who are batting .347 while averaging 8.9 hits and 7.3 runs a game.

Five players are hitting .350 or better – Jacee Minter (.418), Amelya Huggins (.389), Shayla Harper (.382), Lexy Dobson (.351) and Tarin Dubler (.350).

Minter has 17 doubles, seven home runs and 46 runs batted in, ranking sixth nationally in doubles and ninth in RBIs. She ranks seventh on UCO's single-season doubles chart.

Huggins has 10 doubles, eight homers and 32 RBIs along with 35 walks for a .550 on-base percentage that ranks ninth nationally. She's sixth in Division II in walks per game (0.88) and needs just three more to break the school single-season record of 37 set by Carli Jones in 2016.

Harper was named MIAA Hitter of the Week for her performance last weekend, hitting .583 with two homers, a double and six RBIs. She has seven homers, seven triples, six doubles and 38 RBIs for the season, ranking third nationally in triples.

Harper is second on UCO's single-season list for triples, two off the record of nine set by April Bradley in 1993.

Dobson has nine doubles, three homers and 30 RBIs, while Dubler has five double, three triples and 25 RBIs.

The Bronchos have a team earned run average of 2.35 in giving up 5.4 hits and 2.5 runs per contest.

Kylee Lynch has been the workhorse in the circle, having appeared in 24 games with 20 starts in throwing 123 2/3 innings. She's 17-1 with two saves and a 1.64 ERA with just 18 walks, ranking seventh nationally in wins.

The sophomore left-hander has tossed 15 complete games, including six shutouts. Lynch threw two complete-game shutouts last weekend, allowing only six hits with no walks and 13 strikeouts in 13 innings to earn MIAA Pitcher of the Week honors for the third time.

Isie Cox has solidified herself as UCO's second starter and is 9-3 with a 3.46 ERA. Bailey McKittrick has given the Bronchos 20 vital innings out of the bullpen and is 2-0 with one save and an 0.70 ERA.

Defense has also been a key component to UCO's success this season. The Bronchos have committed just 20 errors in 40 games, with their .982 fielding percentage the second-best in Division II.

ABOUT THE RIVERHAWKS: NSU is tied for fifth in the league standings heading into the weekend. The RiverHawks average 7.5 hits and 4.8 runs per game while giving up 7.2 hits and 4.9 runs.

Jaeden Rosenquist is batting .356 with three homers and 24 RBIs to lead the offense, while Addy Wolfe is hitting .342 with eight homers and 21 RBIs.

Savannah Evans (7-8, 2.46 ERA) and Gail Young (8-7, 4.68 ERA) top the pitching staff.

UCO and the RiverHawks first met in 1976 and the old rivals have met 142 times, with the Bronchos holding an 85-57 series lead. Central owns a 21-4 lead since both teams joined the MIAA in 2013.

ABOUT THE HILLCATS: Rogers State takes an eight-game winning streak to a road doubleheader at Newman Friday before visiting the Bronchos.

Pitching has been RSU's forte this season. The Hillcats give up just 4.7 hits and 1.8 runs a game while ranking fourth in shutouts (14) and eighth in ERA (1.54) in Division II.

Andrea Morales paces the pitching staff with a 20-1 record and 1.24 ERA. She's third nationally in wins and ninth in strikeouts (186), with opponents batting just .157 against her.

M'Kayla Hillman is 14-2 in the circle with a 1.41 ERA.

Rogers is hitting .294 as a team, averaging 7.6 hits and 6.0 runs a game.

Elexis Watson is hitting .400 with nine homers and 20 RBIs, while Abbey Rogers has a .392 average with six homers and 33 RBIs.

UCO has an 8-4 lead in a series that started in 2014. The teams split four meetings last year, going 1-1 in both the regular-season doubleheader and in the MIAA Postseason Tournament.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#8 Lexy Dobson: OF; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

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

#27 Bailey McKittrick: P; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

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

#22 Kylee Lynch: P; 5' 8"; Freshman; L/R

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

#14 Isie Cox: P/UT; 5' 8"; Sophomore; L/L

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

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

Players Mentioned

#8 Lexy Dobson
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: OF

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

#27 Bailey McKittrick
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

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

#22 Kylee Lynch
: 5' 8"; Freshman; L/R
: P

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

#14 Isie Cox
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; L/L
: P/UT

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

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