SHAWNEE, Kan. – Central Oklahoma wraps up its early season tournament schedule this weekend when the 17th-ranked Bronchos trek back to Kansas for the three-day Top Gun Midwest College Classic.
UCO (13-4) will play five games at the Mid-America Sports Complex. The Bronchos take on Augustana (3 p.m.) and Upper Iowa (5:30 p.m.) Friday, face Minnesota-Duluth (2:40 p.m.) and Rockhurst (5 p.m.) Saturday and finish against Minnesota State-Moorhead at 10 a.m. Sunday.
"We have another competitive weekend ahead," head coach Sam Maples said. "The girls have been working hard in practice this week to stay consistent with what we have been doing well and to fine tune some areas that have been exposed so far.
"Our team has seen different people step up every weekend and that is giving us a ton of confidence."
It's the last of five straight weekend tournaments for UCO, including four on the road. The Bronchos return home March 7 to host Drury for a doubleheader.
UCO went 2-0 in the weather-hampered Washburn Invitational last weekend in Topeka, Kansas.
The Bronchos eked past Minnesota State 4-2 and routed Rockhurst 12-0 in five innings while having games against Montana State-Billings and Wayne State canceled by cold weather.
Senior third baseman Sherri Mason led the offense in those two wins, going 5-for-8 with four doubles and four runs batted in. She tied a single-game school record with three doubles against Rockhurst.
Junior Shelby Beard picked up both pitching wins. She started both contests and gave up seven hits and one run in 7.1 innings while striking out 11.
Beard leads the pitching staff with a 7-2 record and 3.12 earned run average. She ranks in the top 11 nationally in four categories – fifth in appearances (14), seventh in games started (10), ninth in innings pitched (51.2) and 11th in wins.
Freshman Carleigh Kinnaird has also been a workhorse in the circle for the Bronchos. She's 6-1 with a 4.55 ERA, ranking seventh in strikeouts (63) and 11th in appearances (12).
UCO features a potent offensive attack and are averaging 8.0 runs a game behind a .353 team average. Seven regulars are hitting above .300, with three over the .400 mark.
The Bronchos lead Division II in doubles (47) while also ranking in the top 10 in walks (fourth, 75), RBI (seventh, 124) and total runs (eighth, 136).
Senior first baseman Kennedy Clark leads the way with a .451 average that includes two doubles, one triple, one home run and 19 RBI. She has at least one in 12 of the last 13 games.
Junior outfielder Brooklyn Ryan is riding a seven-game hitting streak and is at .434 with four doubles, 20 runs and a team-high six stolen bases. Jenna Jobe is batting .426 with a Division II-best 11 doubles and 14 RBI.
Sophomore designed player Brooklyn Lyles (.375), freshman outfielder Haley Gallo (.340), freshman shortstop Hannah Demoff (.326) and senior outfielder Rylee Lemos (.322) are also hitting above .300.
Lyles smacked the first homer of her career in the Rockhurst rout and carries a nine-game hitting streak. Lemos ranks in the top 15 nationally in three categories – sixth in triples (four), 14th in RBI (26) and 15th in runs (21).
