Softball 5/2/2023 8:07:00 AM

Bronchos Ready For Conference Tourney

Regular season Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association champion Central Oklahoma looks to add the MIAA Tournament title to its resume when that four-day tournament opens Wednesday in Topeka, Kan.

The No. 4-ranked Bronchos, 43-6 on the season, finished 23-3 in the conference to claim the regular season crown for the fifth time since joining the league in 2013.

Top-seeded UCO takes on No. 8 Fort Hays State (31-22) at 3 p.m. Wednesday on Field One of the Envista Softball Complex in Topeka. Fourth-seeded Central Missouri (32-19) meets No. 5 Washburn (36-14) on Field Two at the same time.

Second-seeded Missouri Southern (36-11) plays No. 7 Emporia State (32-21) and third-seeded Rogers State (41-10) goes against No. 6 Missouri Western (35-18) in other first-round games at 5:30 p.m.

The tournament continues with four games Thursday and five games Friday before finishing with Saturday's finals. The Bronchos will meet the Central Missouri/Washburn winner/loser on Thursday.

"It should be a great tournament," said head coach Cody White, who has led UCO to four MIAA regular season titles in his 10 years at the helm. "Every team here has won at least 30 games and that says something about the depth of our league this year.

"We're excited about winning the regular season championship, but that has nothing to do with what happens in this tournament. Our girls realize we'll have to play extremely well this week and we're looking forward to the challenge."

The champion earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II national tournament, with that full 64-team field to be announced next Monday.

UCO IN THE MIAA TOURNAMENT: The Bronchos have appeared in every MIAA Tournament since joining the league in 2013 and have a 24-14 all-time record 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, 3-2 in 2021 and 1-2 last year. The 2020 tournament was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bronchos are 7-2 in first-round games. UCO and FHSU have met just once in the MIAA Tournament, with the Tigers winning 5-0 in 2013.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO swept Missouri Southern Sunday in the final doubleheader of the regular season to capture the conference title. The two teams entered the final day tied for the league lead.

The Bronchos have won five regular season titles (2013, '17, '19, '21, '23) since joining the MIAA in 2013 and been runner-up four time (2014, '15, '16, '22). UCO's lowest conference finish was third in 2018.

Central is riding a 12-game winning streak going into the MIAA Tournament.

UCO is hitting an MIAA-best .330 as a team while averaging 8.9 hits and 7.1 runs. The Bronchos allow 6.0 hits and 2.5 runs per contest with a 2.37 team earned run average.

In the NCAA Division II national rankings, UCO ranks in the top 10 in five team categories – first in fielding percentage (.980), third in doubles per game (2.00), sixth in total doubles (98), seventh in total sacrifice flies (23) and eighth in winning percentage (.878).

Six starters are batting .330 or better to lead a balanced offensive attack, led by Shayla Harper's .403 average.

Harper also tops the team in runs (47), home runs (12), runs batted in (49), slugging percentage (.732) and on-base percentage (.462). The senior third baseman ranks fourth in both career triples (12) and homers (37) at UCO in addition to being eighth in runs (135) and ninth in RBI (134).

Others over the .330 mark are freshman Emily Deramus (.371), sophomore Terin Ritz (.364), junior Jacee Minter (.346), freshman Rylee Lemos (.331) and senior Amelya Huggins (.331).

Deramus leads UCO in at bats (170), hits (63), doubles (18) and triples (four), with her 18 doubles ranking seventh on UCO's single-season list. The rookie standout also has 41 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

Ritz has nine homers and 42 RBI, joining Harper and Deramus with 40-plus RBI. She's also been a mainstay in the pitching circle, carrying a 17-1 record and 2.20 earned run average with just 21 walks in 130.1 innings.

Minter adds 11 doubles, nine homers and 39 RBI. The returning All-American has moved into fourth in career doubles at UCO with 47 while also ranking sixth in homers (33) and RBI (147) and ninth in runs (132).

Lead-off hitter Lemos has a team-best 14 steals on the season and has also been perfect in the field from her right field spot with 70 putouts and three assists.

Huggins has 15 doubles, four homers and 30 RBI. The senior ranks second in career walks with 101, needing five to break the record, and is ninth in doubles (42).

Junior Jordyn Pipkin joins Ritz on UCO's two-person pitching staff. She's been a consistent force all season and enters the week with a 19-2 record and 1.84 ERA in 140.2 innings, with opponents batting .227 against her.

ABOUT FORT HAYS STATE: The Tigers from Hays, Kan. have a .282 team average while scoring 4.0 runs a game. FHSU has one of the top pitching staffs in the league, giving up 3.3 runs a contest behind a 2.73 team ERA.

Peyton Shephard leads the offense with a .376 average and 18 stolen bases. Carly Stuke is hitting .320 with 12 doubles and 24 RBI, while Sarah Tiffany is batting .308 with eight doubles and 34 RBI.

Savanah Egger tops the pitching staff, having gone 14-8 with a 2.04 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 150.2 innings. Bailey Carlson is 11-9 with a 2.79 ERA.

The Bronchos own a 25-9 lead in a series that started in 1978. UCO swept the regular season doubleheader, winning 5-1 and 4-1 on April 22 in Edmond.

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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

#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

#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