Bronchos Hit The Road For Four Weekend Games

No. 4-ranked Central Oklahoma goes on the road this weekend for a pair of crucial Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association doubleheaders against intrastate rivals.

The Bronchos, 30-5 overall and 12-2 in the conference, travel to Tahlequah Friday for a 4 p.m. twinbill against Northeastern State (22-17, 4-10) before moving on to Claremore Saturday for a noon showdown against defending national champion and No. 8-rated Rogers State (31-6, 10-4).

"We're going to have our hands full this weekend," said head coach Cody White, who is 379-142 in his 10th year at the helm. "NSU is really dangerous offensively and Rogers has two of the best pitchers in the league along with a bunch of good hitters.

"We've got a pretty good rivalry going with both teams as well, so that adds to the intensity level. It's going to be a tough weekend, but we just need to play our game and go have some fun."

UCO follows this weekend's games next Tuesday with a trip to Durant to take on Southeastern Oklahoma in a non-conference doubleheader that marks the final regular season road trip. The Bronchos close with an eight-game homestand.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO won three of four league home games last weekend, rolling past Lincoln (12-0, 10-0) before splitting a doubleheader with Central Missouri. The Jennies won the opener 3-2 in nine innings before the Bronchos bounced back with a 12-0 rout.

UCO has reached 30-win mark for the 11th straight season, not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign that was limited to 25 games.

The Bronchos rank in the top 10 nationally in 10 statistical categories – second in fielding percentage (.980), third in sacrifice flies (21), fourth in slugging percentage (.601), fifth in scoring (8.0 runs/game), fifth in doubles per game (2.09), sixth in on-base percentage (.435), seventh in doubles (73), eighth in winning percentage (.857), ninth in home runs per game (1.43) and 10th in homers (50).

UCO's pitching trio of Jordyn Pipkin, Terin Ritz and Corrina Rivas have a combined 2.89 ERA. That threesome has allowed just four runs in the last six games, throwing four shutouts in that span.

Pipkin leads the way with a 12-3 record and 2.17 ERA in a team-high 93.1 innings. Ritz is 11-0 with a 2.83 ERA and just 12 walks in 81.2 innings, while Rivas is 7-2 with a 4.23 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 53.0 innings.

The Bronchos feature a balanced offensive attack and are hitting .343 as a team, with seven regulars at .314 or better. Four players have 30-plus runs batted in for the season.

Shayla Harper tops the team with a .426 average to go along with eight homers, five doubles and 33 RBI. Emily Deramus is at .390 with team highs in doubles (14), homers (nine) and RBI (37).

Jacee Minter is hitting .380 with eight homers and 32 RBI. The junior standout ranks in the top 10 in four career UCO categories – sixth in homer (32), seventh in RBI (140), tied for seventh in doubles (43) and 10th in runs scored (123).

Rylee Lemos (.359), Ritz (.356), Tatum Long (.329) and Mikayla Rutland (.314) round out UCO's .314-plus hitters. Ritz (33) joins Deramus, Harper and Minter in the 30-plus RBI club and Long is right behind with 29, including a team-best 13 two-out RBI.

ABOUT THE RIVERHAWKS: NSU has won four of its last six games and is 10-5 at home this season.

The RiverHawks are batting .301 as a team while averaging 8.4 hits and 5.9 runs a game. NSU gives up 7.1 hits and 4.3 runs per contest.

Three players are hitting over .350 and each has more than 11 homers – Savannah Evans (.414, 11 homers, 34 RBI), Addy Wolf (.361, 11 homers, 32 RBI) and Chloe Bohuslavicky (.355, 14 homers, 35 RBI).

Evans is also one of the top pitchers with an 8-9 record and team-best 2.93 ERA in 117.0 innings pitched. Madison Heinle is 8-6 with a 3.51 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 101.2 innings.

The Bronchos and NSU first met in 1976 and have played 144 times, with UCO holding an 87-57 lead.

ABOUT THE HILLCATS: Rogers State takes an eight-game winning streak into a Friday home doubleheader with Newman before hosting the Bronchos.

The Hillcats net 8.3 hits and 6.1 runs a game behind a .318 team average. RSU leads the conference in pitching with a 2.00 ERA while allowing just 4.8 hits and 1.6 runs per game.

Callie Yellin is hitting .397 with seven doubles, five homers and 21 RBI to lead the offense. Bridgett Morales (.375, eight doubles, five homers, 29 RBI) and Abby Rogers (.344, four homers, 25 RBI) are also key figures at the plate.

Sara Llamas tops the potent pitching staff with a 15-1 record, 0.89 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 101.0 innings. Jade Sanders is 11-2 with a 3.01 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 77.2 innings.

The teams first met in 2014 and UCO owns a 10-6 lead. The Bronchos swept last year's regular season doubleheader, then Rogers swept UCO in the best-of-three NCAA Division II Central Super Regional en route to capturing the national title.

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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

#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

#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

#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

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