Bronchos Set To Host Regional

No. 8-ranked Central Oklahoma begins its quest for the NCAA Division II national championship Thursday when the Bronchos open play in the Central Regional II Tournament at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.

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, with UCO of the MIAA hosting one of two four-team regionals.

The Bronchos (45-10) will take on Southern Arkansas (37-16) at 1 p.m. and No. 9 Augustana (47-8) meets Arkansas Tech (39-17) at 3:30 p.m. in Thursday's first-round games. Augie won the NSIC regular-season and tournament championships, while ATU and SAU shared the GAC crown before the Golden Sun captured the league tournament title.

Thursday's winners will play at 1 p.m. Friday, followed by the two first-round losers at 3:30 p.m. and another elimination game at 6 p.m. Saturday's finals are set for 1 p.m., with the "if necessary" game at 3:30 p.m.

The Central Regional I Tournament will be held in Claremore, Okla. Host Rogers State and Washburn of the MIAA join Minnesota State-Mankato and Winona State of the NSIC in that four-team field.

The two sub-regional winners meet in the best-of-three Central Super Regional series May 20-21 at a site to be determined. The champion joins seven other regional winners in the Division II World Series that will be held May 26-31 in Denver, Colo.

"It should be a great tournament and we're looking forward to the challenge," head coach Cody White said. "We'll need to play better than we have all season, but our players aren't ready for the season to end."

UCO IN THE NATIONAL TOURNEY: The Bronchos are making their 17th national tournament appearance, including the 14th in Division II.

Central is 33-27 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 Division II Championship Finals.

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) – lost in Super Regional
2021 (1-2)

SEASON RECAP: UCO has been ranked in the NFCA Division II top-25 all season. The Bronchos were No. 20 in the preseason poll and made it as high as No. 4.

Central finished runner-up in the MIAA regular season standings, then went 1-2 with a pair of one-run losses in last week's conference tournament.

The Bronchos are 25-3 at Gerry Pinkston Stadium this season, with two of those losses coming in the league tourney.

UCO had 10 players earn All-MIAA recognition, led by four first-team selections in pitcher Kylee Lynch, outfielder Jacee Minter, catcher Amelya Huggins and shortstop Brighton Gilbert.

Third baseman Shayla Harper, outfielder Lexy Dobson and utility/non-pitcher Shayleigh Odom were second-team picks, while second baseman Tarin Dubler, first baseman Mikayla Rutland and outfielder Korbyn Skipworth were honorable mention choices.

Gilbert was named Defensive Player of the Year and was joined on the Gold Glove team by Dubler, Huggins, Minter and Dobson.

ABOUT UCO'S OFFENSE: The Bronchos are batting .333 as a team while averaging 8.9 hits and 7.2 runs per game.

UCO ranks in the top 10 nationally in three categories – eighth in on-base percentage (.424), eighth in walks (198) and 10^th in scoring (7.2 runs/game).

Nine players are hitting .300 or better for a balanced offensive attack, led by Jacee Minter.

The sophomore standout is batting .422 with 23 doubles, 12 home runs and 68 runs batted in along with a .786 slugging percentage. She has a .474 average (27-for-57) with 34 RBIs when batting with two outs.

Minter is tied for the Division II lead in doubles and ranks fourth in RBIs. She's second on UCO's single-season list for doubles, one off the record of 24 set by JoBi Heath in 2019, and is tied for fourth in RBIs.

Junior Amelya Huggins has a .375 average with 14 doubles, nine homers and 42 RBIs. She's drawn a school-record 45 walks, ranking sixth nationally in walks per game (0.82), and has a .533 on-base percentage.

Senior Tarin Dubler and junior Shayla Harper are both batting .341. Dubler has six doubles and 33 RBIs, while Harper has 11 doubles, 10 homers, seven triples and 48 RBIs to go along with 15 stolen bases.

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

Central's other .300-plus hitters are freshman Korbyn Skipworth (.336, four homers, 28 RBIs), sophomore Shayleigh Odom (.324, four homers, 32 RBIs), senior Brighton Gilbert (.318, 11 steals), freshman Terin Ritz (.309, 21 RBIs) and senior Lexy Dobson (.302, six homers, 37 RBIs).

Dobson has played in a UCO career-record 240 games while also ranking in the top 10 in five other all-time categories – fifth in at bats (745), sixth in runs (142), hits (243) and doubles (43) and 10th in RBIs (119).

Junior Mikayla Rutland ranks eighth nationally in hit by pitch with 16, which is tied for second on the school's single-season behind the record of 21 set by Emily Ditmore in 2015. Rutland has reached base in 27 consecutive games.

ABOUT UCO'S PITCHING: The Bronchos own a team earned run average of 2.32. UCO allows 5.8 hits and 2.6 runs a game.

Sophomore Kylee Lynch is the team ace, having appeared in 36 games with 29 starts. The left-hander is 24-3 with three saves and a 1.88 ERA and has 19 complete games to her credit.

Lynch ranks sixth nationally in wins, which is also fifth on UCO's single-season chart. She's ninth in single-season innings pitched (186 2/3) and the sophomore already rates sixth in school career wins with 49.

Senior Bailey McKittrick has provided UCO key innings down the stretch after coming back from off-season back surgery. The senior is 5-1 with one save and a 1.14 ERA in 49 innings.

Sophomore Isie Cox has also seen extensive action in the circle and is 10-4 with a 3.52 ERA.

ABOUT UCO'S DEFENSE: The Bronchos lead Division II in team defense with a stellar .982 fielding percentage. UCO has committed just 28 errors in 55 games and also ranks seventh in double plays with 25.

Harper has made 144 assists from her third base post, tied for second on the school single-season list and 10 behind the record of 154 set by Hannah Justus in 2012.

Gilbert isn't far behind with 130 assists at shortstop, which ranks fifth on UCO's season list.

ABOUT THE COACH: In his ninth season as UCO's head coach is Cody White, who has a 346-134 record with the Bronchos.

White has led UCO to seven Division II national tournament appearances, six 40-win seasons and three regular-season MIAA titles. He has three of the four winningest seasons in school history (48 in 2017 and '19 and 45 this season).

White has coached 52 All-MIAA players, 22 All-Region players and eight All-Americans.

ABOUT SOUTHERN ARKANSAS: The Muleriders tied for the GAC regular-season title before falling to Arkansas Tech in the league tournament finals.

SAU is hitting .309 as a team while averaging 8.5 hits and 5.3 runs per game.

First-team All-GAC selection Jade Miller is hitting .410 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs to lead the offense. Alese Casper (.327, 11 doubles) and Jaxyn Dryson (.321, 14 doubles, 45 RBIs) are also key offensive forces.

The Muleriders have a team ERA of 2.11 while allowing 5.8 hits and 2.7 runs a game.

First-team All-GAC member Sydney Ward is 16-3 with a 2.30 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 133 2/3 innings to lead the pitching staff. Kiana Pogroszewski is 15-6 with a 1.78 ERA.

UCO has a 5-3 lead in a series that started in 2001, though the Muleriders have a 2-0 advantage in Division II playoff games. The two teams met on the opening weekend of the 2022 season, with the Bronchos claiming a 3-2 neutral-site victory in Conroe, Texas.

ABOUT AUGUSTANA: The Vikings are 47-8 on the season and have won 28 of their last 29 games.

Augie is making its 28th Division II playoff appearance and won national championships in 1991 and 2019.

The Vikings rank second nationally in team batting at .372 while averaging a Division II-best 8.2 runs and 10.3 hits a game.

Four first-team All-NSIC players lead Augie's potent offense – Gracey Brink (.448, nine homers, 47 RBIs), Torri Chute (.417, 12 homers, 48 RBIs), Delaney Young (.409, 13 homers, 62 RBIs) and Mary Pardo (.378, nation-leading 26 homers, 66 RBIs).

The Vikings have a 1.89 team ERA in giving up 5.1 hits and 2.1 runs per contest.

First-team All-NSIC pick Ashley Mickschl is 21-2 with a 1.24 ERA and just 14 walks in 129 1/3 innings to pace the pitching staff. Amber Elliott is 19-3 with a 1.67 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 121 1/3 innings.

Augie owns a 13-5 lead in a series with UCO that started in 1983. The Vikings are up 4-0 in Division II playoff games, including a two-game sweep in the 2019 Central Regional Super Regional.

ABOUT ARKANSAS TECH: The Golden Sun shared the GAC regular-season title with Southern Arkansas before beating the Muleriders in the conference tournament finals.

ATU, which enters the regional having won eight of its last nine games, is averaging 7.3 hits and 5.4 runs a game behind a .279 team average.

All-GAC selections Tymber Riley and Caitlyn Wells lead the offense. GAC Player of the Year Riley is hitting .443 with 23 doubles, 16 homers and 54 RBIs, while Wells has a .402 average with 14 doubles, 11 homers and 44 RBIs.

GAC Pitcher of the Year Shannon Lasey is 18-7 with three saves and a 1.28 ERA. She's struck out 144 batters in 158 1/3 innings.

UCO has a 7-2 lead in a series that started in 2016 and the Bronchos have a 3-1 advantage in national tournament meetings. Central beat ATU 12-7 on Feb. 20 in Edmond at the Broncho Invitational.

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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

#6 Shayleigh Odom: OF; 5' 1"; Sophomore; L/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

#6 Shayleigh Odom
: 5' 1"; Sophomore; L/R
: OF