Barton Community College baseball players Jace Bowman and Scott Tyler were the first of the 2013-14 Cougars to commit to play on the four-year collegiate level.  Both players signed during the fall signing period as Bowman committed to the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma, at the NCAA Division II level while Tyler committed to NCAA Division I Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

Jace Bowman
Bowman, a former Class 5A first-team all-state selection for Great Bend High School, chose UCO during the early signing period offered this past fall.  The Bronchos have won 30-plus games each of the last three seasons under fourth-year head coach Dax Leone, most recently finishing the 2014 season at 37-17 for their most wins since 2007 and only its second year of competition in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. 

"I ultimately decided to sign with UCO after my official visit because I really loved the campus and the size of the school," said Bowman.  "Signing early felt absolutely incredible and I'm extremely blessed and excited for the opportunity I've been given by Coach Leone and UCO to continue doing what I love to do. Now I can completely focus on this spring season and doing the things we want to do as a team, as well as earning my associate's degree in my final semester here at Barton."

In his freshman season, Bowman started in 36-of-37 games primarily as a second baseman for the Cougars.   Batting over .300 for most of the season and reaching a high of .364, a late season hand injury helped contribute to a .278 average for the season.  A versatile infielder ranking second on the team in assists, the 6'3" Bowman also finished with a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen bases.

Bowman stabilized at the second base position for his sophomore season starting forty-eight of his fifty games played.  Bowman ranked third on the team in both doubles (12) and triples (3) while batting .252 on the season and driving in thirty-one runs.  Bowman also hit his first collegiate homerun on March 30 in game one of the MCC-Longview doubleheader launching a three-run blast to left field while driving in a career high five runs to help the Cougars to a 12-5 victory.

"Jace is a tall, physical infielder who was a three-sport athlete in high school," reported UCO assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Jordan McCavitt on the UCO website.  "Bowman will bring athleticism and a lot of versatility to us at several positions in the infield and competes well at the plate."

Having close family in Edmond helped with the decision, as well as, the city itself and its proximity to the oil and gas industry, which is the field Bowman ultimately would like to pursue a career in.

"Several things played in my decision but in the end I could not think of a reason why I did not want to commit to UCO," Bowman said.  "I couldn't have come to my decision without the help of my parents and my close friends." 

Scott Tyler
Earning second team All-Conference honors in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference, Tyler was a force for the Cougars in the heart of the lineup in all fifty-seven games of his sophomore season, reaching the .300 level at the plate seven games into the season to end at a .363 clip to finish third on the team.  Amongst the top of every offensive category, Tyler led the Cougars in slugging percentage (.564), hits (77), doubles (24), home runs (7), total bases (126), and was a perfect 8-8 in stolen bases.   The left-hander was also solid on the defensive side with a .953 fielding percentage including many spectacular catches from his right field position. 

The Sioux Falls, South Dakota, native came to Barton after a successful high school career at Roosevelt High School earning All-State, All-City, and All-Conference honors.  Tyler kept that success rolling for the Cougars batting .292 his freshman season while also making four appearances on the mound.  As a preview of what was to come for his sophomore season, Tyler led the Cougars in his first year in home runs (3) while ranking third in both slugging percentage (.478) and triples (4).

Ball State is in the midst of a 35-16 season under eighteen year Head Coach Rich Maloney, riding on top of the Mid-American Conference with a 19-4 record.