No. 10 Bronchos Host NWOSU Wednesday

No. 10-ranked Central Oklahoma returns from an extended break Wednesday when the Bronchos host Northwestern Oklahoma for a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.

UCO, which last played on Feb. 19, is 8-3 on the season. The Rangers from Alva, members of the Great American Conference, are 2-12.

"We're looking forward to getting back to playing games," head coach Cody White said. "It was a good break for us and we were able to work on a lot of things that needed attention, but the team is tired of practicing."

The Bronchos follow up Wednesday's twinbill with a trip to Springfield, Mo. This weekend for five games in the Drury Classic.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO hasn't played since going 5-1 at the Raising Cane's Festival Feb. 17-19 at Gerry Pinkston Stadium, with the lone loss a 9-8 setback to No. 7 Southern Arkansas.

Freshman Emily Deramus led the Bronchos that weekend, hitting a blistering .533 (8-for-15) with three home runs and seven runs batted in. Senior Shayla Harper batted .462 (6-for-13) with two doubles and freshman Rylee Lemos hit .412 (7-for-17) with two doubles and six RBI.

UCO is batting .302 as a team for the season while averaging 7.6 hits and 7.0 runs per game.

Harper has a team-high .387 average with two doubles, two homers and six RBI. Lemos is batting .382 and Deramus at .371 with four homers and 14 RBI.

Two other players are also above .300 – junior Jacee Minter (.324, five doubles, nine RBI) and junior Tatum Long (.320, four doubles, seven RBI).

Harper has moved into a tie for sixth place on UCO's career homer list with 27. Minter is now eighth in career doubles (41) and tied for 10th in homers (25).

The Bronchos have a 4.03 team earned run average, with a trio of pitchers allowing 7.7 hits and 4.2 runs per game.

Sophomores Jordyn Pipkin and Terin Ritz and senior Corrina Rivas have each pitched in six games. Ritz and Rivas have made four starts apiece and Pipkin three.

Pipkin is 2-0 with a team-best 2.40 ERA in 23 1/3 innings. Ritz is 3-0 with a 4.15 ERA and has just three walks in 28 2/3 innings, while Rivas is 3-2 with a 5.67 ERA in 21 innings.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA: The Rangers are coached by Cassady Webb, who was a two-year starter for UCO and helped lead the Bronchos to a 48-8 record and Sweet 16 appearance as a senior in 2019.

NWOSU averages 6.0 hits and 2.6 runs a game while batting .231 as a team. Three players are hitting above .300 – Abby DeTar (.395, three doubles, seven RBI), Raegyn Parrish (.361, three doubles) and Hannah Howell (.333, two homers, eight RBI).

The Rangers have a 5.41 team ERA, allowing 8.7 hits and 5.9 runs per contest. Ireland Caro is the top starter with a 2-4 record and 4.36 ERA.

UCO owns a 16-6 lead in the series that started in 1976. This will be the first meeting between the two since 2019.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

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

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

#99 Terin Ritz: P/1B; 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R

#5 Emily Deramus: IF; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

#8 Rylee Lemos: OF; 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R

#15 Jordyn Pipkin: P; 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R

#24 Tatum Long: IF; 5' 8"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

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

#99 Terin Ritz
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R
: P/1B

#5 Emily Deramus
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: IF

#8 Rylee Lemos
: 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R
: OF

#15 Jordyn Pipkin
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

#24 Tatum Long
: 5' 8"; Junior; R/R
: IF