University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Broncho Baseball Picked Sixth

1/28/2010 10:28:53 AM

Luke Yost

RICHARDSON, Texas (Jan. 28) – Central Oklahoma has been tabbed to finish sixth in the 2010 Lone Star Conference baseball standings, according to the preseason poll released Thursday by the league office.

The Bronchos of 19th-year head coach Wendell Simmons earned 219 points in voting of head coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives to finish in the middle of the pack in the 12-team league.

Abilene Christian, which won last year's LSC Tournament, collected 16 first-place votes and 352 votes in finishing first in the poll. Angelo State had nine first-place votes and was second with 341 points, followed by defending regular season champion Cameron with 308 points.

Tarleton State came in fourth, followed by Southeastern Oklahoma, UCO, Eastern New Mexico, Southwestern Oklahoma, Texas A&M-Kingsville, West Texas A&M, Northeastern State and East Central.

ASU's Keith Towne was named Preseason Player of the Year and ACU's Brad Rutherford Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

The top-six teams from the regular-season standings advance to the LSC Tournament, with the winner of that earning the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II national tournament.

UCO has 10 lettermen back from last years 27-28 team that finished seventh in the LSC as the Bronchos had a string of 12 straight winning seasons ended.

Five position players return who earned considerable starting time last year, led by junior Ryan Schoonover (team-leading .382 average) and senior Luke Yost (.357 with a team-high 53 RBI). Senior Casey Bruns started all 55 games last season, while senior Nate Mitani and junior John Bryant both started most of the year.

Senior Kale Murphree (5-1, 3.60 ERA) spearheads the pitching staff that also has back senior Austin Baker, junior Brent Miller and sophomore Ryan Wagner from last year.

The Bronchos open the season Feb. 5, hosting No. 11-ranked Central Missouri for a 2:30 p.m. single game.

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