INDIANAPOLIS – Central Oklahoma earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship, with the announcement Sunday night of the 56-team field that puts the Bronchos as one of eight teams in the powerful Central Regional.
The Central Regional is split into sub-regionals and No. 1 Central Missouri and No. 2 Missouri Southern will host the two four-team double-elimination tournaments May 16-18. The two sub-regional winners will play a best-of-three Super Regional May 24-25 at the highest remaining seed's park. Eight Super Regional winners from around the country will meet in Cary, North Carolina June 1-8 for the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.
Joining (1) Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri will by (8) Minnesota State, and (4) Augustana and (5) Central Oklahoma.
Joining (2) Missouri Southern in Joplin, Missouri will by (7) Harding, and (3) Arkansas Tech and (6) Arkansas Monticello.
Central Oklahoma is returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019. UCO made three consecutive regional appearances in 2017, 2018, and 2019, making the finals in 2017 and 2019.
This season, following the No. 1 ranked transfer recruiting class in the country this past fall, UCO put together a 36-14 record and has spent almost the entire season ranked in the Top 25. The Bronchos went 22-11 in the MIAA and earned the No. 4 seed in the postseason tournament before falling in the first round. UCO was fifth in each of the Central Region rankings before Sunday night's announcement.
UCO will take on Augustana Thursday in Warrensburg, Missouri in the first round of the NCAA tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. UCM and MSU will play at 2 p.m. Here is the full schedule for this weekend's regional tournament.
Thursday, May 16
Game 1: (1) Central Missouri vs. (8) Minnesota State, 2 p.m.
Game 2: (4) Augustana vs. (5) Central Oklahoma, 6 p.m.
Friday, May 17
G3: UCM/MSU loser vs. AUG/UCO loser, 2 p.m.
G4: UCM/MSU winner vs. AUG/UCO winner, 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 18
G5: Consolation final, 2 p.m.
G6: Regional final, 6 p.m.
Sunday, May 19
*G7: Regional final if-necessary game, 12 p.m.
(Game 7 necessary if Game 6 winner has one loss)
