Central softball goes hard at the start of the season

Brooke Niver

Contributing Writer

The UCO softball team has started their 2022-2023 successfully with an 8-3 record after going 4 and 2 at the 2023 DII Spring Invitational Kickoff in Conroe, Texas the first week of February and then 4 and 5 at the Raising Cane’s Softball Festival a few weekends ago. The team defeated the No. 2 team in the nation, University of Texas – Tyler, in Conroe.

The team includes several returners as well as some new faces. The team boasts nine new players as well as 10 returning from the 2022-2023 season. Makella Mobly, Emily Deramus, Shaylin Midgley, Rylee Lemos, Rylee Anglen, Jordyn Pipkin, Tatum Long, and Karson Jennings are all the new names on the roster for Bronchos this season.

Freshman Deramus, freshman Rylee Lemos, and junior Tatum Long have helped the team considerably during the first few weeks.

Shortstop Deramus has a batting average of .371 with 4 homeruns in 11 games played. Outfielder Lemos earned a batting average of .371 and has knocked in 7 RBIs. Infielder Long earned a batting percentage of .320 and has hit 4 doubles. Pitcher Jordyn Pipkin, boasts an earned run average of 2.4.

Tenth year Head Coach Cody White has led the Bronchos to seven national tournament appearances, three MIAA championships and several high-win seasons. With the season still in the early stages, the newcomers are finally getting the chance to take the field as a part of the Broncho family.

“We were excited to see how that translated at this level,” White said. “Up until this point, they’ve done a really good job accepting the roles and going out and playing hard.”

White has coached many athletes throughout his career at UCO and at other schools prior to his time with UCO. He said the 2022-2023 Central softball team considers themselves more of a family than just a team.

“I think we’re very close as a team,”

White said, “Everybody has taken on and protected each other, which I think is going to help carry us later in the season.”

The four seniors — Mikayla Rutland, Shayla Harper, Corrina Rivas, and Amelya Huggins — all helped lead the team on and off the field.

“They’ve helped lead the newcomers not only for this year but for the next four,” White said. “They’ve taken on that leadership role very well since the beginning.”

He said the seniors helped motivate this team to go throughout the season with a championship mindset to get to the national championship.

Emily Deramus (CENTRAL SPORTS/PROVIDED)

The Bronchos have a ton of activity in March with 25 games, with only four of those being played at the Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond, Oklahoma. The softball schedule can be found on bronchosports.com.