Softball 4/5/2023 12:24:00 PM

Bronchos To Host Weekend Doubleheaders

No. 4-ranked Central Oklahoma makes a rare home appearance this weekend when the Bronchos host a pair of Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association doubleheaders at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.

UCO, 27-4 on the season and 9-1 in league play, takes on Lincoln (4-24, 1-13) at 2 p.m. Friday before meeting Central Missouri (24-13, 8-6) at noon Saturday. The Bronchos have played just nine home games this season, including only two in the last five weeks.

"It's good to be at home," head coach Cody White said. "We haven't played on our own field much this year and it will be nice to be in our dugout for a change.

"It's important to protect your home field, so we need to come out focused and ready to play both days."

UCO follows this weekend's action with six straight road games before finishing the regular season with an eight-game MIAA homestand.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO has won 21 of its last 22 games after going 4-0 last week, sweeping a non-conference home doubleheader from Southern Nazarene before rolling to two easy wins over conference foe Newman on the road.

The Bronchos rank in the top 10 nationally in seven team offensive categories – third in sacrifice flies (19), fourth in fielding percentage (.978), fifth in slugging percentage (.585), fifth in doubles per game (2.1), seventh in scoring (7.9 runs/game), eighth in won-loss percentage (.871) and 10th in home runs per game (1.39).

UCO is batting .332 as a team with seven regulars batting .311 or better.

Shayla Harper leads the way at .433 to go with seven homers, five doubles, three triples and 28 runs batted in. She's riding an 11-game hitting streak, having batted a robust .571 (20-for-35) in that stretch with five homers and 17 RBI.

Harper has reached base in all but one of UCO's 31 games, including a current streak of 26 straight. The senior slugger ranks fourth on the school's career triples list (12) and is tied for fifth in homers (32).

Emily Deramus (.378), Rylee Lemos (.368), Jacee Minter (.365), Tatum Long (.315), Mikayla Rutland (.313) and Terin Ritz (.311) are all above the .300 mark.

Deramus tops the team in RBI (32), while Minter leads in homers (eight).

Minter is now tied for fifth in career homers (32), while ranking seventh in RBI (137) and eighth in doubles (42). Rutland is second on UCO's career hit by pitch list (32), having been plunked nine times this season.

Ritz, Jordyn Pipkin and Corrina Rivas have combined to pitch every inning for the Bronchos this season. Pipkin has appeared in 18 games, while Ritz and Rivas have each pitched in 17.

Pipkin is 11-2 with a 2.25 earned run average in 81.0 innings and has seven complete games. Ritz is 9-0 with a 3.18 ERA and just 12 walks in 72.2 innings, while Rivas is 7-2 with a 4.45 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 50.1 innings.

ABOUT THE BLUE TIGERS: Lincoln has lost 11 straight games headed into the weekend.

The Blue Tigers are batting .217 as a team, averaging 4.8 hits and 1.8 runs per game. LU gives up 9.4 hits and 7.8 runs a contest.

Leslie Callahan (.313, two homers) and Leah Wagner (.295, four doubles) lead the offense. Jordan Galliher is the top pitcher at 2-8 with a 5.05 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 61.0 innings.

UCO has dominating a series that started in 1992, owning a 22-1 lead. The Bronchos have won the last 13 meetings.

ABOUT THE JENNIES: Central Missouri swept Lincoln in a doubleheader earlier this week and has won six of its last eight games.

The Jennies feature one of the MIAA's top pitching staffs with a team 2.90 ERA. UCM gives up 6.5 hits and 3.4 runs an outing while averaging 7.9 hits and 5.5 runs a game.

Makenzie McAtee is the top offensive threat with a .388 average, six homers and 30 RBI. Abbey Fischer is hitting .355 with five homers and 14 stolen bases, while Abby Allnutt is at .337 with six doubles and 22 RBI.

Andi Siebeneck leads the pitchers with a 9-2 record, 1.73 ERA and just nine walks in 68.2 innings. Paige Petefish is 8-3 with a 2.77 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 88.1 innings.

UCO and UCM first met in 1989 and the Bronchos own a 23-19 series advantage, having won seven of the last eight meetings.

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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