No. 5 UCO Faces Tough Road Test This Weekend

No. 5-ranked Central Oklahoma puts a lengthy winning streak on the line this weekend when the Bronchos finish up a long road-swing with a pair of Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association doubleheaders.

UCO, 20-3 overall and 4-0 in league play, is riding a 14-game winning streak. The Bronchos go to Maryville, Mo. Friday for a 2 p.m. twinbill against Northwest Missouri (14-10, 1-3) before moving on to St. Joseph, Mo. Saturday to take on Missouri Western (15-6, 2-2) in a noon doubleheader.

"It's going to be a tough weekend for us," said head coach Cody White, who is 369-140 in his 10th year at the helm. "Northwest and Western both have really strong offenses that will definitely test our pitching staff.

"We've built some momentum over the last few weeks and hopefully can continue that, but we'll have to play extremely well against two good teams."

UCO will finish up a 15-game road-swing with this weekend's games. The Bronchos are set to host Southern Nazarene in a non-conference doubleheader March 28 in their first home appearance since March 1.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: Bad weather forced the cancellation of last weekend's MIAA/NSIC Crossover Challenge in Joplin, Mo. UCO picked up two of the six games lost, sweeping Northern State in a neutral-site doubleheader at Northeastern State in Tahlequah.

The Bronchos are hitting .361 in their 14-game winning streak. Freshman Emily Deramus (.491, 10 doubles, three homers, 13 RBI) and junior Jacee Minter (.452, five homers, 14 RBI) have sparked that surge.

UCO averages 9.0 hits and 8.2 runs a game for the season behind a conference-best .335 team average.

Deramus tops the team at .422 and has reached base in 20 consecutive games. The rookie standout also leads UCO in doubles (11), RBI (26) and slugging percentage (.819) while sharing the lead in homers (six).

Minter's 14-game surge has pushed her average to .394. The returning All-American has six doubles, six homers, 22 RBI and a .489 on-base percentage.

Minter ranks in the top 10 in three career categories at UCO – tied for sixth in homers (30), eighth in doubles (42) and ninth in RBI (130).

Four others are hitting above .300 – freshman Rylee Lemos (.390), senior Shayla Harper (.385), senior Mikayla Rutland (.326) and senior Amelya Huggins (.316).

Lemos, who has reached base in 18 straight games, has six doubles, 12 RBI and a team-leading seven stolen bases. Harper leads the Bronchos in on-base percentage (.494) to go along with five homers and 21 RBI.

Harper is tied with Minter for sixth on the school's all-time homer list and she's also tied for fourth in triples (11).

Rutland has three homers and 13 RBI and has moved into second on UCO's career list for hit by pitch (30). Huggins has five doubles, three homers and 21 RBI. She has 94 walks for her career, just 11 off the school record of 105 held by Carli Jones.

A trio of pitchers have handled all the duties in the circle for the Bronchos, with neither having thrown 60 innings for the season. UCO has a 3.50 team earned run average while giving up 6.4 hits and 3.5 runs per game.

Sophomore Jordyn Pipkin paces that unit with an 8-1 record and 2.46 ERA in 59.2 innings. She's appeared in 14 games with nine starts and has six complete games.

Sophomore Terin Ritz is 5-0 with two saves and a 4.00 ERA, having walked just 11 batters in 49.0 innings. Senior Corrina Rivas is 7-2 with two saves and a 4.36 ERA. She's struck out 33 batters in 43.1 innings.

ABOUT THE BEARCATS: Northwest Missouri is batting .320 as a team while averaging 10.0 hits and 6.3 runs per contest. The Bearcats give up 8.3 hits and 5.9 runs behind a 4.55 team ERA.

Omara Love (.439, nine doubles) and Olivia Daugherty (.424, nine homers, 32 RBI) lead the explosive offense.

Hayden Simmons (4-0, 1.89 ERA, 49 strikeouts in 29.2 innings) and Jadyn Streigle (7-3, 3.39 ERA in 64 innings) pace the pitching staff.

UCO owns a big 39-11 lead in a series that started in 1984 and has won the last nine meetings between the two.

ABOUT THE GRIFFIONS: Missouri Western has won four of its last five games and will host Newman Friday before welcoming the Bronchos to town.

The Griffons are hitting .326 as a team in averaging 11.3 hits and 7.7 runs per game. MWSU also is strong in the circle with a 1.94 team ERA while giving up just 7.0 hits and 3.0 runs an outing.

Sydni Hawkins is hitting .490 with 17 doubles and 18 RBI to pace the offense. Mackenzie DeVine has a .398 average with eight homers and 31 RBI.

Harley Pruetting tops the pitching staff with a 9-1 record and 1.09 ERA in 59.0 innings. Sam Pederson is 10-2 with a 1.78 ERA and has 107 strikeouts in 90.2 innings.

The Bronchos have a narrow 22-21 lead in a series that started in 1984. The two teams split a doubleheader last year before the Griffons eliminated UCO in the MIAA Tournament.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#3 Mikayla Rutland: IF; 5' 7"; Senior; 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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#3 Mikayla Rutland
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: IF

#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