Bronchos Ready For Softball Championship

No. 4-ranked Central Oklahoma continues its quest for the national title this week when the Bronchos trek to Chattanooga, Tenn. for the NCAA Division II Softball Championship.

The Central Region champion Bronchos, 52-7 and winner of 21 of their last 22 games, open the eight-team, double-elimination tournament Thursday at 3 p.m. (Oklahoma time) against South Region champion Nova Southeastern (43-14) inside Frost Stadium at Warner Park on the Tennessee-Chattanooga campus.

UCO is the No. 2 seed in the tournament and is joined in pool play by third-seeded and No. 2-ranked North Georgia (59-6), sixth-seeded East Stroudsburg (43-17) and the seventh-seeded Sharks. UNG and ESSU play at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Thursday's two winners meet at 1:30 p.m. Friday, with the losers going at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Click here for the complete bracket.

The other four-team pool consists of top-seeded and No. 3-ranked Texas-Tyler (59-4), fourth-seeded and No. 24 Wilmington (44-14), fifth-seeded and No. 8 Grand Valley State (45-6) and eighth-seeded Cal State-San Marcos (37-19).

The two pool winners meet in a best-of-three finals series May 30-31 to decide the national champion.

"We're thrilled to have a chance to compete for the national championship," head coach Cody White said. "It's been 10 years since we've been in this position and we want to enjoy it, but at the same time we're going there with a goal in mind.

"We need to keep doing what we've done all season and just focus on ourselves. Our girls are a determined group who have worked extremely hard this year and you can never count them out. We're excited about our chances."

The Bronchos are making their fourth trip to the Division II Softball Championship. UCO qualified in 2006, '12 and '13, capturing the title in 2013.

UCO AGAINST THE FIELD: The Bronchos have played just one of the other seven teams in the field, having gone 1-1 against top-seeded Texas-Tyler. UCO lost to the Patriots 17-4 last year before earning a 9-5 victory on Feb. 5 this season.

UCO IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS: The Bronchos are 7-4 in three previous appearances in the Division II Softball Championship.

UCO went 1-2 in 2006, 2-2 in 2012 and 4-0 in 2013.

2006: lost to Cal State-Bakersfield (6-1), beat Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (2-0), lost to Emporia State (4-3).

2012: Beat Flagler (4-2), beat Southern Connecticut (6-4), lost to UC San Diego (4-3), lost to UC San Diego (2-0).

2013: Beat Armstrong Atlantic (5-2), beat Molloy (7-1), beat Armstrong Atlantic (14-1), beat Kutztown (5-2).

UCO IN THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT: The Bronchos are making their 18th national tournament appearance, including the 15th in Division II and the ninth in the last 11 years. UCO has a 41-31 national tournament record – 28-21 in the regional, 6-6 in the super regional and 7-4 in the finals.

UCO's Division II playoff record by season:
2002: (1-2)
2005: (2-2)
2006: (5-2 – 4-0 in South Central Regional, 1-2 in Championship Finals)
2008: (1-2)
2010: (0-2)
2012: (7-4 – 5-2 in South Central Regional, 2-2 in Championship Finals)
2013: (9-0 – 5-0 in Central Regional, 4-0 in Championship Finals)
2014: (1-2)
2015: (1-2)
2016: (1-2)
2017: (1-2)
2019: (3-3) – lost in Central Regional finals
2021: (1-2)
2022: (3-3) – lost in Central Regional finals
2023: (5-1) – won Central Regional

ABOUT LAST WEEK: UCO claimed the Central Regional crown last weekend at home in a tough three-game battle with Southern Arkansas.

The Muleriders took the opener 8-2, but the Bronchos bounced back the next day with 5-4 and 5-2 wins to rally for the title.

UCO overcame a 4-2 deficit late in the second game to force the "if" contest, getting a tying two-run double from Emily Deramus in the top of the sixth inning before taking the lead on Mikayla Rutland's RBI single in the seventh.

Terin Ritz belted a two-run homer, added an RBI single and went the distance in the circle in the deciding game. Ritz also picked up the game two pitching win in relief.

SEASON RECAP: UCO was No. 8 in the preseason NFCA poll and has remained in the top 10 all season.

The Bronchos have won a school-record 52 games, reaching that mark with two wins in the Central Super Regional last weekend to eclipse the previous mark of 51 (51-11) set by the 2013 national championship team.

UCO's .881 winning percentage is the sixth-best in Division II.

The Bronchos have played 20 games against 11 teams that made the Division II national tournament, going 16-4.

UCO went 4-0 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma, 3-0 against Missouri Southern and Rogers State, 1-0 against Harding, Oklahoma Baptist, Texas-Tyler and St. Edward's, 2-2 against Southern Arkansas and 0-1 against Oklahoma Christian and St. Mary's.

Central claimed its fifth MIAA regular season title (2013, '17, '19, '21, '23) with a 23-3 record and then outscored four teams 36-11 to take the MIAA Tournament title for the third time (2017, '19. '23).

The Bronchos are 13-2 in neutral-site games this season. UCO finished 24-3 at home and 15-2 on the road.

POST-SEASON HONORS: Nine players earned All-MIAA honors, headlined by Deramus' selection as Freshman of the Year. She was joined on the first-team squad by third baseman Shayla Harper, outfielder Jacee Minter and utility/non-pitcher Tatum Long.

Utility/pitcher Ritz, pitcher Jordyn Pipkin and catcher Amelya Huggins were second-team picks, with outfielder Rylee Lemos earning honorable mention recognition.

Lemos and second baseman Rutland were named to the Gold Glove team.

Five players claimed All-Central Region honors, with Harper named Player of the Year by the Conference Commissioners Association. She was joined on the first-team CCA team by Deramus, Minter and Ritz.

Harper, Minter and Ritz also garnered first-team recognition on the NFCA All-Central Region team, with Deramus and Pipkin earning second-team honors. Deramus was named NFCA Central Region Freshman of the Year.

ABOUT UCO'S OFFENSE: The Bronchos are batting .329 as a team while averaging 8.8 hits and 6.9 runs per game. Central has belted 77 home runs, tying the school record set in 2016.

UCO ranks in the top 10 nationally in nine offensive categories – third in doubles (109), fourth in walks (228), sixth in sacrifice flies (26), seventh in runs (407), eighth in hits (521), ninth in runs per game (6.9) ninth in home runs (77), 10th in slugging percentage (.564) and 10th in doubles per game (1.85).

The Bronchos have scored 10-plus runs 15 times, with a high of 14 coming against Nebraska-Kearney on March 5. UCO has had 24 games with double-digit hits, led by 15-hit outings against Northwestern Oklahoma on March 1 and Southeastern Oklahoma on April 18.

Six players are hitting above .300 to lead a balanced offensive attack, led by Harper's .398 mark. Minter is batting .364, while Ritz is at .357, Deramus at .356, Lemos at .332 and Huggins at .318.

Harper also tops the team in runs (56), home runs (14), runs batted in (54), slugging percentage (.722), on-base percentage (.464) and sacrifice flies (five). She's reached base in 56 of UCO's 59 games, including a streak of 36 straight earlier in the year.

Minter has 13 doubles, 10 homers and 46 RBI, while Ritz has 12 homers with 52 RBI. Deramus leads the Bronchos in at bats (205), hits (73) and doubles (20) to go along with 12 homers and 49 RBI.

ABOUT UCO'S PITCHING: The Bronchos own a team earned run average of 2.42. UCO allows 6.0 hits and 2.5 runs a game.

Sophomores Terin Ritz and Jordyn Pipkin are a formidable duo in the circle, having collected 45 of the team's 52 wins.

Ritz is 26-2 – the third-most single-season wins in school history -- with three saves and a 1.89 ERA in 185.2 innings. Pipkin carries a 19-3 record and 2.22 ERA in 154.1 innings.

Ritz has won all five national tournament games for the Bronchos.

ABOUT UCO'S DEFENSE: The Bronchos lead Division II in team defense with a stellar .981 fielding percentage and rank third in double plays (25). UCO has committed just 32 errors this season, having gone errorless in 38 of 59 games.

Harper's 113 assists from her third base spot lead the team. Deramus is right behind with 110 from her shortstop position, while Rutland has 92 at second.

ABOUT THE COACHES: Cody White is in his 10th year at the helm and eclipsed the 400-win mark during last week's Central Super Regional. He heads to Chattanooga with a 401-143 career record.

UCO's head assistant coach on the 2013 national championship team, White has led the Bronchos to eight Division II national tournament appearances, seven 40-win seasons and four regular-season MIAA titles. He's had four of the five winningest seasons in school history (school-record 52 this season and 48 in 2017, '19, '22).

White earned MIAA Coach of the Year honors this year for the third time (2017, '19, '23).

Jon Hunter has been the head assistant coach throughout White's 10-year tenure, while Jordan Dixon is in her third season on staff.

ABOUT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN: The Sharks finished third in the rugged Sunshine State Conference behind top-ranked Tampa and No. 10 Saint Leo, then took the South Region I Tournament as the No. 3 seed.

NSU upset Tampa in the South Super Regional in three games, winning 4-0 in the opener and 2-0 in the finale after falling 3-0 in game two.

The Sharks – who have won 15 of their last 16 games – are averaging 8.2 hits and 5.5 runs a game behind a .305 team average. NSU has a 2.35 team ERA while giving up just 6.5 hits and 2.9 runs.

First-team All-South Region selection Alexis Smith leads the offense. She's batting .412 with 15 doubles, a Division II-leading 14 triples, five homers, 48 RBI and 38 stolen bases. Ryleigh Langwell is batting .389 with 36 RBI and Kerstyn Shaw is at .352.

Alyssa Drogemuller tops the pitching staff with a 24-7 record and 1.63 ERA. The first-team All-South Region pick has walked just 24 batters in 206.2 innings.

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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

#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

#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

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