Softball 5/7/2025 8:00:00 AM

Bronchos Ready To Host Regional Tourney

No. 4-ranked UCO Takes On Minnesota State In Thursday's First Round

EDMOND – No. 4-ranked Central Oklahoma begins its quest for the NCAA Division II national title Thursday when the Bronchos open play in the Central Regional I Tournament at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.

The Central Region is made up of teams from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, the Great American Conference and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, with UCO hosting two MIAA teams and one NSIC squad in one of two four-team regionals this weekend.

The MIAA regular season and tournament champion Bronchos, 46-8 on the season, open against Minnesota State (38-18) at 1 p.m. Thursday. No. 16-ranked Rogers State (37-13) takes on Pittsburg State (38-14) at 3:30 p.m. in the other first-round game.

MSU was runner-up in the NSIC regular season standings. PSU was second and Rogers third in the MIAA, with the Hillcats beating the Gorillas in the MIAA Tournament semifinals before falling to UCO in the title bout.

Thursday's winners will play at 1 p.m. Friday, followed by the two first-round losers at 3:30 p.m. and another elimination game at 6 p.m. Saturday's finals are set for 1 p.m., with the "if necessary" game at 3:30 p.m.

"It should be a great tournament and we're looking forward to the challenge," head coach Cody White said. "We're in one of the toughest regionals in the country, so our players understand how hard it's going to be this weekend.

"We've been playing really well and just need to keep focusing on ourselves."

The Central Regional II Tournament will be held in Magnolia, Arkansas. Host and No. 12-ranked Southern Arkansas and No. 24 Harding of the GAC are joined by MIAA member Missouri Southern along with NSIC regular season and tournament champion and No. 6 Augustana.

The two sub-regional winners meet in the best-of-three Central Super Regional series May 15-16 at a site to be determined. The champion joins seven other regional winners in the Division II Championship Finals that will be held May 22-28 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

UCO IN THE NATIONAL TOURNEY: The Bronchos are making their 19th national tournament appearance, including the 16th in Division II.

Central is 44-35 in the Division II playoffs, highlighted by a 9-0 run to the national championship in 2013. The Bronchos won regional titles in 2006, '12, '13 and '23 to advance to the Division II Championship Finals.

UCO is hosting a regional for the fifth time in the last six years.

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 best-of-three Central Super Regional)
2021 (1-2)
2022 (3-3 – lost in best-of-three Central Super Regional)
2023 (6-3 – 4-1 in Central Regional, 2-2 in Championship Finals)
2024 (1-2)

SEASON RECAP: UCO was No. 25 in the preseason NFCA poll, then jumped up to 13th after beating four eventual national tournament qualifying teams in the season-opening Gulf Shores Invitational. The Bronchos moved into the top 10 in the sixth poll of the season on March 11 and have remained there since.

Central played eight teams that are in the national tournament during the regular season, going 10-2. The Bronchos went 3-0 against No. 16 Rogers, State, 2-0 against Pittsburg State and 1-1 against Missouri Southern in MIAA action while beating No. 7 Auburn-Montgomery, No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne, No. 24 West Florida and Spring Hill.

UCO lost to Thursday's first-round opponent Minnesota State, falling 3-2 on Feb. 24 at the Washburn Invitational.

The Bronchos went 20-4 to capture their sixth MIAA regular season title (2013, '17, '19, '21, '23, '25) and then outscored three teams 20-1 last weekend in Hays, Kansas to claim the MIAA Tournament title for the fourth time (2017, '19. '23, '25).

Senior star Terin Ritz was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after a dominating performance. She went the distance in the pitching circle all three games, giving up just one run and 12 hits with 12 strikeouts and no walks in 19 innings. Ritz was also a terror at the plate, going 5-for-9 with two home runs, two doubles and eight runs batted in.

Outfielder Rylee Lemos, first baseman Ariah Mitchell, second baseman Rylee Anglen and designated player Kennedy Clark joined Ritz on the all-tournament team.

UCO had six players earn All-MIAA honors, headlined by Ritz's selection as Player of the Year. Outfielder Lemos was also a First-Team selection as well as Defensive Player of the Year, while shortstop Emily Deramus earned Second-Team honors.

Anglen, Clark and outfielder Brooklyn Ryan garnered honorable mention recognition. Anglen and Lemos were also named to the Gold Glove Team.

The Bronchos are 20-3 at Gerry Pinkston Stadium this season.

ABOUT UCO'S OFFENSE: The Bronchos are batting .333 as a team in averaging 8.54 hits and 6.93 runs per game.

UCO ranks in the top 10 nationally in eight offensive categories – fourth in hit by pitch (55), seventh in runs (374), seventh in RBI (343), eighth in RBI per game (6.39), ninth in on base percentage (.421), ninth in sacrifice flies (24), ninth in slugging percentage (.583) and 10th in runs per game (6.93).

Seven players are hitting .309 or better to lead a balanced offensive attack, led by Ritz.

The senior slugger is batting a team-high .422 while also leading the Bronchos in doubles (18), homers (17), RBI (72), total bases (138), slugging percentage (.896) and on base percentage (.513). She ranks third nationally in RBI, fifth in slugging percentage and 10th in homers. Ritz has had 21 multi-RBI and 18 multi-hit games.

Ritz's 72 RBI ranks third on the school single-season list, seven behind the record of 79 held by Kacie Edwards, and her 17 homers is fifth. Ritz is in the top 10 in four UCO career categories – second in homers (50, five off the record), fourth in RBI (206), eighth in runs (160) and ninth in hits (219).

Lemos tops the Bronchos in hits (67) and runs (64) while batting .387 with 13 doubles, 11 homers, six triples, 41 RBI and a team-high 19 stolen bases. She ranks fourth nationally in runs and is fifth on UCO's single-season list.

Lemos is in the top 10 in four career categories at UCO – second in triples (15, two off the record), tied for third in runs (182), third in hit by pitch (30) and fourth in steals (61).

Mitchell has a .375 average with eight doubles and 36 RBI, while Clark is hitting .338 with seven doubles and 38 RBI. Both players have had 16 multi-hit games this season.

Ryan is batting .336 with seven doubles, four triples, three homers and 20 RBI, with Anglen at .323 with eight doubles, three triples and 28 RBI. Deramus has driven in 48 runs with 16 doubles, eight homers and a .309 average.

Deramus ranks in UCO's top 10 in four career categories – fifth in doubles (51), ninth in homers (30), ninth in runs (147) and 10th in assists (316).

ABOUT UCO'S PITCHING: The Bronchos own a team earned run average of 2.07 and rank fourth nationally in shutouts with 18. UCO allows 5.61 hits and 2.35 runs a game.

Six pitchers have seen action in the circle this spring, with Ritz, sophomore Shelby Beard and senior Sydney Ward having combined for 49 of the team's 54 starts.

Ritz paces the staff with an 18-3 record and 1.59 ERA in 24 games with 22 starts. She's thrown 15 complete games with seven shutouts, which is 11th-best in Division II. The right-hander was struck out 109 and walked just 20 in 136.2 innings.

Ritz has moved into second place in career wins at UCO with 72, five off the record held by Gladys Griffin. She's also fourth in shutouts (18), fifth in innings (538.1) and sixth in strikeouts (353).

Beard is 12-3 with a 2.18 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 70.2 innings. She's appeared in 18 games with 12 starts and has five complete games.

Ward has a 10-2 record and 2.52 ERA in 83.1 innings. She's pitched in 21 games with 15 starts and has six complete games with four shutouts.

ABOUT UCO'S DEFENSE: The Bronchos lead Division II in team defense with a stellar .982 fielding percentage. UCO has committed just 26 errors and has had 33 errorless games, including one streak of 11 straight.

Anglen leads the team in assists with 100, four ahead of shortstop Deramus.

ABOUT THE COACH: In his 12th season as UCO's head coach is White, who owns a stellar 492-168 record as the winningest coach in program history.

White has led UCO to 10 Division II national tournament appearances, nine 40-win seasons and five regular-season MIAA titles. He's had four of the five winningest seasons in school history (54 in 2023 and 48 three times - 2017, '19, '22).

White, associate head coach Jon Hunter, assistant coach Jordan Dixon and graduate assistant Jacee Minter were named MIAA Coaching Staff of the Year this season.

ABOUT MINNESOTA STATE: The Mavericks (38-18) were runner-up in the NSIC regular season standings and then lost in the semifinals of the league tournament.

MSU is batting .289 as a team while averaging 7.61 hits and 5.41 runs per game. The Mavericks give up 6.77 hits and 2.73 runs a contest behind a 2.29 team ERA.

First-Team All-NSIC outfielder Marina Carter leads the offense with a .348 average and 19 stolen bases. Second-team All-NSIC first baseman Gianna Lara is hitting .333 with 14 doubles, four homers and 40 RBI.

Brianne Stone and Sailor Hall pace the pitching staff. Stone was a First-Team All-NSIC pick and is 12-6 with a 1.92 ERA in 98.1 innings, while Hall is 13-5 with a 1.84 ERA in 114.0 innings.

MSU holds a big 9-1 series lead over the Bronchos, including a 3-2 win this season at the Washburn Invitational on Feb. 24. The Mavericks are 2-0 against UCO in Central Regional action, winning in 2017 and '21.

ABOUT ROGERS STATE: The Hillcats (37-13) finished third in the MIAA regular season and then advanced to the finals of the league tournament before falling to UCO.

RSU averages 8.58 hits and 5.90 runs a game behind a .310 team average. The Hillcats have a 2.53 team ERA while allowing 6.08 hits and 2.92 runs per contest.

First-Team All-MIAA catcher Abbey Rogers leads the offense with a .481 average that ranks fourth nationally along with 17 doubles, nine homers and 49 RBI. Third baseman Kaylee Lyon (.364, 15 doubles, 10 homers, 30 RBI) and second baseman McKayla Carney (.338, 11 doubles) also earned First-team All-MIAA honors.

The pitching staff is paced by Second-Team All-MIAA selections Jade Sanders and Harley Culie. Sanders is 14-7 with a 2.30 ERA in 143.1 innings, while Culie is 18-5 with four saves and a 2.62 ERA in 157.2 innings.

UCO has an 18-7 series lead after sweeping this year's regular season doubleheader at home and winning in the MIAA Tournament finals last weekend. RSU has a 3-0 advantage in regional meetings, winning twice in 2022 and once last year.

ABOUT PITTSBURG STATE: The Gorillas (38-14) finished runner-up in the MIAA regular season standings before falling to Rogers State in last week's league tournament semifinals.

PSU ranks 13th nationally with a .339 team average in scoring 6.17 runs behind 9.1 hits a game. The Gorillas give up 3.1 runs and 5.1 hits behind a 2.73 team ERA.

First-Team All-MIAA shortstop Heather Arnett sparks the offense. She leads Division II in average (.500) and hits (92) while ranking seventh in runs (62) and 11th in stolen bases (40). Arnett also has 12 doubles, five triples and 30 RBI.

Outfielder Courtney Storey also picked up First-Team All-MIAA honors and is hitting .396 with 15 doubles, four homers and 53 RBI.

Second-Team All-MIAA pick Ava Laurent leads the pitching staff. She's 16-6 with a 2.83 ERA and has struck out 159 batters in 141.0 innings.

The Bronchos own a 27-22 series lead and swept PSU in this year's regular season doubleheader at home. UCO won the only Central Regional meeting between the two in 2017.

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Players Mentioned

#9 Rylee Anglen: IF; 5' 3"; Junior; L/R

#11 Shelby Beard: P; 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R

#5 Emily Deramus: IF; 5' 8"; Junior; R/R

#8 Rylee Lemos: OF; 5' 6"; Junior; L/R

#99 Terin Ritz: P/1B; 5' 8"; Senior; R/R

#7 Brooklyn Ryan: OF; 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R

#13 Sydney Ward: P; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#14 Kennedy Clark: C/1B; 5' 7"; Junior; L/L

#22 Ariah Mitchell: UT; 5' 4"; Freshman; L/R

Players Mentioned

#9 Rylee Anglen
: 5' 3"; Junior; L/R
: IF

#11 Shelby Beard
: 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

#5 Emily Deramus
: 5' 8"; Junior; R/R
: IF

#8 Rylee Lemos
: 5' 6"; Junior; L/R
: OF

#99 Terin Ritz
: 5' 8"; Senior; R/R
: P/1B

#7 Brooklyn Ryan
: 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#13 Sydney Ward
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: P

#14 Kennedy Clark
: 5' 7"; Junior; L/L
: C/1B

#22 Ariah Mitchell
: 5' 4"; Freshman; L/R
: UT