Softball 5/4/2022 7:48:00 AM

Bronchos Ready For MIAA Tournament

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No. 5-ranked Central Oklahoma begins its quest for the MIAA Softball Championship Thursday when the Bronchos take on Nebraska-Kearney in a 6:30 p.m. first-round game at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.

UCO, 44-8 overall, is the No. 2 seed in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament after finishing 23-3 in league play. The Lopers (23-25) are the No. 7 seed.

Other first-round games have regular-season champion and top-seeded Washburn (42-11) taking on No. 8 Emporia State (24-28) at 11 a.m., No. 4 Missouri Western (27-20) going against No. 5 Northeastern State (28-23) at 1:30 p.m. and No. 3 Rogers State (43-9) facing No. 6 Missouri Southern (26-23) at 4 p.m. The tournament was originally scheduled to begin Wednesday before being pushed back a day by weather.

The tournament continues with four games Friday and five Saturday before finishing with Sunday's finals. The champion earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II national tournament, with that full 64-team field to be announced Sunday night.

"It should be a great tournament," head coach Cody White said. "There are a lot of good teams here and obviously we need to be at our best, but I'm excited about our chances. Our girls have worked extremely hard all year and I know they're ready to go."

UCO IN THE MIAA TOURNAMENT: The Bronchos have appeared in every MIAA Softball Championship since joining the league in 2013 and have a 23-12 all-time record in the tournament with two titles (2017, '19) and one runner-up finish (2018).

UCO went 2-2 in 2013, 1-2 in 2014, 1-2 in 2015, 3-2 in 2016, 4-0 in 2017, 5-2 in 2018, 4-0 in 2019 and 3-2 in 2021. The 2020 tournament was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bronchos are 7-1 in first-round games. UCO's opening-round showdown with UNK will be the first-ever meeting between the two in the MIAA Softball Championship.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO finished runner-up in the regular-season MIAA standings this season, one game behind Washburn. The Bronchos have been first (2013, '17, '19, '21) or second (2014, '15, '16, '22) eight of the nine years they've been in the league and came in third the other year (2018).

Central is 24-1 at Gerry Pinkston Stadium this season, the lone loss coming against Missouri Western on March 26. The Bronchos are riding a seven-game home winning streak.

UCO is hitting an MIAA-best .339 as a team while averaging 7.3 runs and 8.9 hits per game. The Bronchos allow 2.5 runs and 5.8 hits a contest with a 2.34 team earned run average.

In the national rankings, UCO ranks in the top 10 in seven team categories – first in fielding percentage (.983), fifth in double plays (25), fifth in total runs (379), seventh in on-base percentage (.431), seventh in won-loss percentage (.846), eighth in walks (191) and ninth in slugging percentage (.549).

Four players are hitting above .350 to lead the offense – Jacee Minter (.420), Amelya Huggins (.375), Tarin Dubler (.354) and Shayla Harper (.351).

Minter is tied for the Division II lead in doubles with 22 and ranks third on UCO's single-season list, two behind the record of 24 set by JoBi Heath in 2019. The sophomore standout has also 10 home runs and is sixth on the school list for runs batted in with 60, 30 of those coming with two outs.

Huggins has a conference-best .529 on-base percentage and has drawn a single-season school record 43 walks, ranking fifth nationally in walks per game (0.81). She has 13 doubles, nine homers and 40 RBIs.

Dubler has chipped in six doubles and 32 RBIs while having struck out just nine times in 161 at bats.

Harper is sixth nationally in triples with seven, which is tied for second on UCO's single-season list, and also has 10 doubles, 10 homers, 48 RBIs – a team-best 31 with two-outs -- and 14 stolen bases. The junior third baseman has moved into fourth place on the school list for assists with 134, 20 behind the record of 154 set by Hannah Justus in 2012.

Mikayla Rutland has been hit by pitch 14 times, which ranks fifth on UCO's single-season list. She's reached base in 24 consecutive games via hit, walk or hit by pitch.

The Bronchos are led in the pitching circle by Kylee Lynch, who is 23-1 with three saves and a 1.81 ERA in 33 games. She's walked only 24 batters and has 88 strikeouts in 166 2/3 innings.

Lynch ranks fifth nationally in wins. She's also fifth on UCO's single-season list for wins and tied for 10th in saves.

Bailey McKittrick threw a three-hitter in Central's 4-0 shutout of Missouri Southern Sunday for her first complete game since 2019. The senior is 5-1 with a 1.24 ERA in 17 appearances, having walked just five batters in 45 innings.

ABOUT WASHBURN: The regular-season champion Ichabods are riding a 22-game winning streak, having not lost since UCO swept them in a doubleheader on March 13.

The Ichabods are hitting .334 as a team while averaging 6.4 runs and 9.2 hits a game. WU gives up 3.2 runs and 6.1 hits a contest behind a 3.07 team ERA.

Marrit Mead (.427, 22 doubles, four homers, 40 RBIs) leads the offense and Jaycee Ginter (28-3, 1.61 ERA, 256 strikeouts) tops the pitching staff.

UCO owns a 28-18 lead in a series that started in 1987, having won the last five meetings. The Bronchos are 1-0 against WU in MIAA Tournament games.

ABOUT ROGERS STATE: The Hillcats finished third in the league and are 43-9 overall.

RSU averages 5.2 runs and 7.4 hits a game behind a .282 average while featuring a paltry 1.48 team ERA in giving up 1.8 runs and 4.4 hits.

Elexis Watson (.386, 12 homers, 26 RBIs) paces the offense, while Andrea Morales (26-3, 1.01 ERA, 265 strikeouts) leads the pitchers.

The Bronchos have a 10-4 series lead and swept the regular season doubleheader April 16 in Edmond. UCO is 1-1 in MIAA Tournament games against the Hillcats.

ABOUT MISSOURI WESTERN: The Griffons ended up fourth in the conference and are 27-20 overall.

MWSU is batting .271 as a team while averaging 4.9 runs and 7.2 hits a game. The Griffons allow 3.4 runs and 7.0 hits per contest with a 2.94 team ERA.

Sydni Hawkins (.367, 10 doubles, six homers, 38 RBIs) is the leading offensive threat, with Sydney Rader (17-7, 2.57 ERA, 176 strikeouts) the top pitcher.

UCO has a narrow 22-20 advantage in a series that started in 1984 and the teams split a doubleheader March 26 in Edmond. The Bronchos are 4-3 in MIAA Tournament meetings with MWSU.

ABOUT NORTHEASTERN STATE: The RiverHawks ended up fifth in the MIAA standings with a 28-23 mark.

NSU is hitting .270 as a team in averaging 4.7 runs and 7.4 hits a game while featuring a 3.66 team ERA in allowing 4.7 runs and 7.2 hits per contest.

Sydney Balderrama (.333, 10 doubles, eight homers, 23 RBIs) paces the offense, while Savannah Evans (10-10, 2.65 ERA, 97 strikeouts) leads the pitching staff.

The RiverHawks are one of UCO's oldest rivals, with the Bronchos holding an 87-57 lead in a series that started in 1976. Central is 2-0 against NSU in MIAA Tournament meetings.

ABOUT MISSOURI SOUTHERN: The Lions finished the regular season 26-23 in finishing sixth in the conference.

MSSU averages 4.9 runs and 7.6 hits a game with a .286 team average while allowing 4.0 runs and 7.4 hits per contest behind a 3.25 ERA.

Ashley Williams (.349, eight doubles, six homers, 44 RBIs) is the top offensive threat, with Bailey Lacy (13-11, 2.78 ERA, 117 strikeouts) the leading pitcher.

UCO has won the last 16 meetings with the Lions and have a 32-7 cushion in a series that started in 1985. The teams have never met in the MIAA Tournament.

ABOUT NEBRASKA-KEARNEY: The Lopers are 23-25 entering the tournament after finishing seventh in the league standings.

UNK is hitting .270 as a team while averaging 4.7 runs and 7.2 hits per contest. The Lopers allow 4.4 runs and 7.4 hits a game with a 3.69 team ERA.

Sydney Thompson (.344, 11 doubles, five homers, 39 RBIs) leads the offense, while Kelsey Goodban (8-6, 2.90 ERA, 90 strikeouts) has been the top pitcher.

UCO and UNK first met in 1985 and the Bronchos own a 20-11 series lead. The two teams split a doubleheader April 22 in Kearney, with UCO winning the opener 10-4 before the Lopers took the nightcap 3-0 as Sydney Thomason threw a complete-game four-hitter.

ABOUT EMPORIA STATE: The Hornets earned the final spot in the tournament with an eighth-place conference finish after ending the regular season 24-28.

ESU averages 5.1 runs and 7.4 hits a game behind a .280 team average while giving up 4.8 hits and 7.4 runs per contest with a 3.76 ERA.

Brittanie Shepherd (.349, 18 doubles, 27 RBIs) paces the offensive attack, while Sydney Righi (8-10, 3.01 ERA) is the leading pitcher.

UCO has a 42-30 lead in a series that started in 1982 and swept the regular season doubleheader March 12 in Edmond. The teams have split eight MIAA Tournament meetings.

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Players Mentioned

#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

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

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

#3 Mikayla Rutland: UT; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#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

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

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

#3 Mikayla Rutland
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: UT