Baseball 5/15/2024 8:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Open Regional Thursday Night

Central Oklahoma Takes On Augustana In NCAA Division II Baseball Championship Central Regional

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Central Oklahoma makes its return to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship Thursday with a Central Region First Round matchup against Augustana at 6 p.m. from the University of Central Missouri's Crane Stadium.

UCO (36-14) earned the No. 5 seed in the Central Region after finishing fourth in the MIAA this season. The Augustana Vikings (44-8) from Sioux Falls, South Dakota won the Northern Sun regular season and postseason tournament titles and earned the No. 4 seed in the Central Region.

Central Missouri (47-8) is hosting the regional after winning the MIAA regular season title. The Mules play Minnesota State (37-18) Thursday at 2 p.m. in the first round. The double-elimination regional tournament continues Friday at 2 p.m. with an elimination game between the day one losers. Friday night's regional semifinal puts the day one winners against each other at 6 p.m.

The consolation final will be played Saturday at 2 p.m. with the regional final following at 6 p.m. An if-necessary game would be played Sunday at noon.

This week marks the 10th NCAA Division II Baseball Championship appearance for Central Oklahoma and the first since 2019. It's the fourth appearance for UCO under ninth-year head coach John Martin, who took the Bronchos to three straight regionals from 2017-19. Martin has a 281-162-1 record leading Central Oklahoma since 2016, including an 8-6 record in the national tournament.

"We're grateful for the chance to play another weekend," Martin said. "The guys are really excited. We were in a pretty unique spot having last weekend off and not knowing if we had done enough to make it here. But thankfully we have been given a chance and now we'll see what we can go out here and do. Like I said, the guys are excited and ready to play."

Season Rewind

Central Oklahoma started the 2024 season 11-0, its best start in recorded school history (since 1960). The Bronchos won four games in the annual Edmond First Pitch Classic, then swept a four-game series against fellow Central Regional qualifier, Arkansas Monticello. UCO beat East Central and Oklahoma Christian to make it 10 in a row, all at home. The Bronchos won another game in Oklahoma City against OC for the record start.

Central started MIAA play after that and dropped the first two series of the season against Central Missouri and Missouri Western, getting off to a 2-4 start in league play. The Bronchos answered back, winning seven straight and 8 of 9, sweeping to MIAA series.

UCO had its third five-game win streak of the season in between dropping MIAA series to Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern. The Bronchos then went 7-3 in their last 10 games of the season to clinch a home playoff series as the No. 4 seed in the MIAA Baseball Championship. UCO would drop that series, 2-0, to Washburn giving the Bronchos last weekend off while the conference tournaments wrapped up before this weekend's regionals.

Central Oklahoma enters the national tournament with a 36-14 record on the season. UCO went 22-11 in the MIAA, and 14-1 in non-conference games during the regular season. The Bronchos have a 10-1 record against teams from the Great American Conference, and 2-0 against teams from both the Lone Star Conference and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

UCO in the National Rankings

Central Oklahoma has spent most of the entire season in the national rankings. The Bronchos reached as high as No. 9 in the National College Baseball Writers Association Top 25 after the 11-0 start to the season. The Bronchos spent nine weeks ranked inside the Top 25, and received votes in all 13 polls this season.

The Central Region

Central Missouri and Central Oklahoma are two of four teams in Warrensburg, Missouri looking to win a Central Region title. Joining the Bronchos and the host Mules are Minnesota State and Augustana. UCM and MSU play Thursday at 2 p.m. before UCO and AUGIE meet at 6 p.m.

UCO is 1-2 against UCM this season. Central has not played Minnesota State since the 2017 Central Regional, when the Bronchos lost the opener to MSU before eliminating the Mavericks in the consolation round. UCO has not played Augustana since 2004.

Missouri Southern is hosting the other side of the Central Regional in Joplin this weekend. The Lions open with Harding (Ark.). Arkansas Tech and Arkansas Monticello are also regional qualifiers in Joplin. Harding, Tech, and Monticello tied for first in the GAC regular season. UAM was the top seed and beat Tech in the GAC Championship.

Super Regional

The winners of the Warrensburg Regional and the Joplin Regional will meet up May 24-25 at the higher seed's ballpark for a best-of-three Super Regional series. The winners punches their ticket to the Division II Baseball National Championship in Cary, North Carolina June 1-8.

Breaking down the Bronchos

Central Oklahoma's 36-14 record comes with big thanks to its pitching staff, which ranks No. 1 in the MIAA with a 4.71 earned run average. UCO allows 5.08 runs per game off 7.88 hits per game. Opponents have a .248 batting average against the Bronchos in 50 games this season.

UCO's league-leading team ERA ranks 42nd in Division II. Central also ranks 26th in WHIP (1.40), 22nd in win-loss percentage (.720), 16th in hits allowed per nine innings (8.43), and 12th in double plays (45) and double plays per game (0.90).

Offensively, Central Oklahoma averages 7.26 runs per game this season averaging 8.88 hits per game. The Bronchos have a .281 batting average, which ranks ninth in the MIAA. UCO is 10th in the league in hits (444) and seventh in runs (363).

Pitching Prospects

Brett Pense, Dax Sharp, and Valek Cisneros all earned All-MIAA honors on the mound for this season. Caleb Burchfield, Brady Gilmore, Chase Yarger, Racer Felter, Preston Giltner, and Austin Burda have also been key figures for the Bronchos, who have a deep pitching staff and is ready to use every arm to get the job done.

Burchfield started a team-high 13 games this season and has a 6-2 record on the bump with a 4.12 ERA. The right-handed senior from Catoosa, Oklahoma pitched 63.1 innings for the Bronchos and recorded 48 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .240 batting average.

Pense made 12 starts for UCO and is 6-5 with a 4.24 ERA. The right-handed redshirt freshman from Edmond pitched 63.2 innings and has a team-high 56 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .235 batting average.

Sharp made eight starts and nine total appearances, boasting a 2.88 ERA in 34.1 innings of work. The lefty from Pryor, Oklahoma has 19 strikeouts and opponents hit just .213 against him.

Cisneros, UCO's closer, is a two-time All-MIAA pick. He is third in the country with 13 saves this season, reaching second on the single season list at Central. Cisneros is also second with 18 career saves. This season, the towering right-hander from Clinton, Oklahoma made 23 appearances and pitched 28.2 innings for the Bronchos. Cisneros has a 5.02 ERA and a 1-1 record to go with his 13 saves. He struck out 44 batters in 28 2/3 innings of work.

Gilmore has been UCO's fourth most regular starter, making 14 total appearances this season with nine starts. The right-hander from Dallas is 3-1 with a 3.43 ERA and has 47 strikeouts in 42 innings of work. Giltner's 20 appearances are third most on the team. The right-hander from Overland Park, Kansas is 4-0 on the year with a 6.69 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 35 innings.

Felter (18) and Yarger (17) have been regulars out of the bullpen. The senior Felter, a righty, has a 3.80 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. The freshman Yarger, also a righty, has a 3.89 ERA with 34 Ks in 37 innings pitched.

Burda made 26 appearances this season, all out of the bullpen, and has a 5.03 ERA in 34 innings of work. Burda ranks seventh in DII in total appearances this season.

Broncho Bats

UCO's talented outfield leads the way in the batter's box, with five regulars contributing more than 230 hits this season. Kaleb Glass, a senior from Vian, Oklahoma, leads the team with a .355 batting average this season. Glass, who played and started in 40 of 50 games this season, is second on the team in both hits (54) and runs scored (44). He also leads the Bronchos with 23 stolen bases (25 attempts).

Glass has 63 stolen bases in his career at UCO, which ranks 26th in Division II active career leaders. That mark is also fifth on Central Oklahoma's career list.

Carson Carpenter, who played in and started 49 of 50 games during his first season with the Bronchos, is hitting .324 with a team-high 55 hits this season. Carpenter leads the Bronchos in hits and runs scored (51), as well as RBIs (50), home runs (14), and triples (four). He adds 12 doubles, which is second on the team.

Caden Robertson, Ty Hammack, and Cameron Uselton have all spent time in the outfield and in the designated hitter position. Robertson, a junior from Magnolia, Texas that missed the first month of the season with a broken hand, earned All-MIAA honors as a DH after hitting .321 in 35 games this season. Robertson's 44 hits are tied for third on the team, his 16 doubles are more than any other Broncho, and his nine home runs are second most in the lineup.

Uselton has a .273 batting average with 30 hits and 24 RBIs in 35 games played. The senior from Moore, Oklahoma has six doubles, five home runs and one triple to go with his 18 runs scored. Hammack also played in 35 games and is hitting .244, with 33 hits, eight doubles, two homers, and a triple. Hammack adds 37 runs scored and 21 RBIs.

The UCO infield contributes to the offense too, with middle infielders Garrett Long and Orlando Gonzalez leading the way.

Long is hitting .311 this season in 42 games played (39 starts). The junior from Adair, Oklahoma has 37 hits, including 11 doubles and eight home runs. He's belted 32 RBIs and scored 29. Gonzalez is hitting .251 this season and has played in and started 49 of 50 games for the Bronchos this season.

Ty Chapman (.256) has 22 hits this season, Shea Morrison (.302) has 19, and Ryan Strickland (.207) has 12. The trio has all played first for the Bronchos this season, with Chapman also occupying third base at times too. Haden O'Toole, who spells second and third base, is hitting .192 with 10 hits in 52 at bats over 25 games this season.

Behind The Plate

Central Oklahoma has three catchers on its roster and Wyatt Gray and Matt Baughn have handled the responsibilities with 25 starts apiece. Gray, a senior from Drummond, Oklahoma, is hitting .341 this season with 28 hits, 20 runs scored, and 10 RBIs. Baughn, a senior from Las Vegas, is hitting .250 with 17 hits, including six doubles.

Defensively, Gray has a .996 fielding percentage with 221 putouts and 17 assists. He has thrown out 6 of 15 base runners attempting to steal this season. Baughn has a .984 fielding percentage with 167 putouts and 14 assists. Baughn has thrown out 5 of 21 base runners attempting to steal this season.

Central Oklahoma vs. Augustana All-Time Series

March 19, 2004 – UCO 19, AUG 0 (Kansas City, Mo.)
March 9, 1990 – AUG 4, UCO 2 (Edmond, Okla.)
March 27, 1988 – UCO 2, AUG 1 (Joplin, Mo.)
March 24, 1986 – UCO 20, AUG 1 (Edmond, Okla.)
March 24, 1986 – UCO 12, AUG 0 (Edmond, Okla.)

UCO in the NCAA Tournament

Overall: 21-21
Regional: 18-19
National: 3-2
South Central: 10-13
Central: 8-6
Opener: 3-7
Win Streaks: 4 (2017); 3 (1997); 2 four times (1994, 1997, 2005, 2018)
Losing Streak: 2 (1994, 2006)

UCO in the NCAA Tournament (Season-by-Season)

1994 – South Central Regional, 2-2 (def. Delta State, 6-2; def. Colorado State Pueblo, 19-17; loss vs. Delta State, 17-5; loss vs. Delta State, 9-6)
1997 – South Central Regional, 3-1 (def. Elon, 8-7; def. North Alabama, 13-2; loss vs. Elon, 17-4; def. Elon, 7-5); World Series, 3-2 (def. Central Missouri, 13-4; def. Kennesaw State, 9-7; loss vs. Tampa, 18-1; def. Tampa, 8-4; loss vs. Chico State, 13-12)
2001 – South Central Regional, 1-2 (loss vs. Delta State, 5-4; def. Abilene Christian, 6-3; loss vs. Alabama Huntsville, 14-8)
2002 – South Central Regional, 1-2 (loss vs. Delta State, 16-10; def. Valdosta State, 11-6; loss vs. Abilene Christian, 10-2)
2003 – South Central Regional, 1-2 (loss vs. Abilene Christian, 9-5; def. Southeastern Oklahoma State, 12-8; loss vs. Delta State, 18-8)
2005 – South Central Regional, 2-2 (loss vs. Abilene Christian, 12-11; def. West Alabama, 5-2; def. Abilene Christian, 2-0; loss vs. Delta State, 9-1)
2006 – South Central Regional, 0-2 (loss vs. Southern Arkansas, 4-3; loss vs. Incarnate Word, 4-2)
2017 – Central Regional, 4-2 (loss vs. Minnesota State, 4-0; def. Missouri Western, 5-2; def. Emporia State, 6-2; def. Minnesota State, 3-2; def. St. Cloud State, 14-8; loss vs. Lindenwood, 8-4)
2018 – Central Regional, 2-2 (loss vs. St. Cloud State, 5-2; def. Oklahoma Baptist, 4-1; def. Emporia State, 4-1; loss vs. Southern Arkansas, 10-5)
2019 – Central Regional, 2-2 (def. St. Cloud State, 4-3; loss vs. Central Missouri, 6-1; def. St. Cloud State, 9-4; loss vs. Central Missouri, 8-5)

UCO in the NCAA Tournament (Opponent History)

Abilene Christian … 2-3
Alabama Huntsville … 0-1
Central Missouri … 1-2
Chico State … 0-1
Colorado State Pueblo … 1-0
Delta State … 1-6
Elon … 2-1
Emporia State … 2-0
Incarnate Word … 0-1
Kennesaw State … 1-0
Lindenwood … 0-1
Minnesota State … 1-1
Missouri Western … 1-0
North Alabama … 1-0
Oklahoma Baptist … 1-0
Southeastern Oklahoma State … 1-0
Southern Arkansas … 0-2
St. Cloud State … 3-1
Tampa … 1-1
Valdosta State … 1-0
West Alabama … 1-0

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Players Mentioned

#21 Matt Baughn: C; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

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

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

#10 Racer Felter: P; 6' 1"; Senior; */R

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

#27 Orlando Gonzalez: IF; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#17 Wyatt Gray: C; 6' 1"; Senior; B/R

#36 Shea Morrison: IF; 6' 4"; Junior; L/L

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

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

Players Mentioned

#21 Matt Baughn
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: C

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

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

#10 Racer Felter
: 6' 1"; Senior; */R
: P

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

#27 Orlando Gonzalez
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: IF

#17 Wyatt Gray
: 6' 1"; Senior; B/R
: C

#36 Shea Morrison
: 6' 4"; Junior; L/L
: IF

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

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