Baseball 2/22/2024 11:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

No. 9 Central Oklahoma Visits No. 3 Central Missouri

Bronchos, Mules, Clash In Warrensburg In Season's First MIAA Series

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Central Oklahoma plays its first MIAA series this weekend with the ninth-ranked Bronchos visiting third-ranked Central Missouri for a three-game stint.

UCO is 11-0 this season. UCM is 9-2.

"It's a big series but we think every MIAA series is big," UCO head coach John Martin said. "It's going to be tough, it's going to take our best effort every single inning this weekend, but we're also focused on winning just like every other game."

Central Oklahoma and Central Missouri first played in 1989 and have met 67 times on the diamond since. UCM owns a 44-23 advantage in the series. The Bronchos were 10-18 against the Mules before joining the MIAA in 2012. UCO is 13-26 against UCM since becoming league rivals.

After beating then fourth-ranked UCM 9-8 and 11-10 in consecutive games in Edmond during the 2022 season, the Mules have won the last four meetings including all three last year in Warrensburg.

This weekend, UCO makes its first road trip of the season. The Bronchos were scheduled to play a four-game series in Arkansas earlier this month, but rain forced that series back to Edmond. The same happened to UCO's scheduled road trip to Ada, Oklahoma. The Bronchos are officially 1-0 on the road this year, with that game coming 3.5 miles from campus at Oklahoma Christian.

The Broncho defense has been key in UCO's 11-0 start to the season. Central has a 2.43 ERA, with the Bronchos allowing 5.7 hits per game and 2.4 runs per game. The UCO staff has 95 strikeouts in 11 games, or 89 total innings pitched.

Caleb Burchfield, Brett Pense, and Preston Giltner are handling starting duties on the weekends for UCO. Burchfield is 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in three starts. He has 12 strikeouts in 14 innings on the mound. Pense is 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA in three starts and he has 11 Ks in 13 2/3 innings of work. Giltner is 1-0 in three starts with a 5.93 ERA and has a team-high 14 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings pitched.

UCO has used 19 different pitchers in games this season and 10 have yet to concede a run. Valek Cisneros is 1-0 in four appearances with three saves. The senior All-MIAA performer has 10 strikeouts in six innings of work. Austin Burda is 1-0 in six appearances with seven Ks in seven innings of work. Aaron Hosack is 2-0 in two appearances.

On the offensive side of things for Central Oklahoma, the Bronchos head to Missouri averaging 8.7 runs per game on 9.1 hits per game. UCO has a .304 team batting average. The Bronchos have 101 total hits on the season, including 23 doubles, 13 home runs, and four triples.

Garrett Long is leading the team with a .462 batting average. The junior second baseman is 12-for-26 at the plate this season and has two doubles and two homers. Long has scored 10 runs and batted in six. Kaleb Glass has a .400 batting average this season. The senior outfielder has a team-high 14 hits and he leads the team with 16 runs scored too. Glass is also 8-for-9 stealing bases this season.

Carson Carpenter is hitting .344, going 11-for-32 at the plate. He has a team-high four home runs and 15 RBIs. Carpenter has scored 13 runs. Cameron Uselton is one point back with a .343 batting average. He has 12 hits and 10 RBIs this season.

Central Missouri lost 2 of 3 to open the season at the Houston Winter Invitational, falling to preseason No. 7 Millersville and No. 3 Tampa. UCM has won eight straight since the Tampa loss. Tampa (9-0) is now No. 1 and Millersville (4-2) is No. 7 in the latest rankings.

The Mules average 7.7 runs per game and 10.8 hits per game after 11 games this season. UCM boasts a 4.88 earned run average as a team, allowing 5.0 runs per game on 6.9 hits per game.

Following this weekend's series at Central Missouri, the Bronchos will be home for a midweek non-conference game against Southwestern Oklahoma State on Tuesday, and then a three-game MIAA series against Missouri Western in Edmond March 1-3.

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Players Mentioned

#32 Caleb Burchfield: P; 6' 3"; Senior; */R

#39 Valek Cisneros: P; 6' 5"; Senior; */R

#1 Kaleb Glass: OF; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#12 Brett Pense: P; 6' 4"; Redshirt Freshman; */R

#3 Cameron Uselton: OF; 5' 11"; Senior; R/R

#16 Austin Burda: P; 5' 10"; Junior; */R

#9 Carson Carpenter: OF; 6' 2"; Junior; L/L

#22 Preston Giltner: P; 6' 4"; Junior; */R

#29 Aaron Hosack: P; 6' 5"; Junior; */R

#8 Garrett Long: IF; 5' 11"; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#32 Caleb Burchfield
: 6' 3"; Senior; */R
: P

#39 Valek Cisneros
: 6' 5"; Senior; */R
: P

#1 Kaleb Glass
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#12 Brett Pense
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Freshman; */R
: P

#3 Cameron Uselton
: 5' 11"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#16 Austin Burda
: 5' 10"; Junior; */R
: P

#9 Carson Carpenter
: 6' 2"; Junior; L/L
: OF

#22 Preston Giltner
: 6' 4"; Junior; */R
: P

#29 Aaron Hosack
: 6' 5"; Junior; */R
: P

#8 Garrett Long
: 5' 11"; Junior; L/R
: IF