April 4, 2011
MIDWEEK PREVIEW
• No. 7 Oklahoma (22-6) concludes the five-game homestand Tuesday with the first Bedlam game on the OU campus since 1996.
• Tuesday’s non-conference game with No. 23 Oklahoma State (21-7) at L. Dale Mitchell Park is slated for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.
• OU is ranked No. 7 by NCBWA, No. 9 by USA Today/Coaches, No. 10 by Baseball America and No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball.
• The Sooners return seven position starters from the 2010 squad that finished 50-18 and advanced to the program’s 10th CWS.
• Oklahoma State returns 14 letterwinners from the 2010 team that finished 29-26 overall and 10th in the Big 12 (8-19).
• The Cowboys are second in the league in hitting behind the Sooners at .307, led by sophomore DH Dane Phillips (.414, HR, 20 RBI)
• OSU is also second in the league in pitching with a 2.38 ERA and has not named a starter for Tuesday’s game.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
• The OU broadcast with Chuck Kelly (play-by-play) and Ross Hubbard (color) can be heard Tuesday on the Sooners’ Flagship station, KREF 1400 AM and at SoonerSports.com. Air time is 30 minutes prior to first pitch.
• Tuesday’s game will also be televised by the Sooner Sports Network (Cox Ch. 3 in OKC and Tulsa) with Toby Rowland (play-by-play)
and Kenny Mossman (color).
• Live stats are available on the baseball schedule page and a live webcast can be found on OU All-Access.
PLAYER TO WATCH - DREW DAHLBERG
The freshman second baseman made his first career start on Friday against Texas Tech. He was 2-for-3 at the plate in his debut with a run scored and two stolen bases. He has started the last three games and hit safely in each of the last four contests. In that span, Dahlberg has six base hits and four runs driven in.
2011 Season Stats: .438, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 3 SB
PROMOS and TICKETS
The first 1,000 fans will receive OU pom poms. OU men's basketball coach Lon Kruger will throw out the first pitch on Tuesday. Kruger was a pitcher at Kansas State and a draft pick of the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals.
Single game tickets are on sale online and by calling 800-456-GoOU.
APRIL 4, 2011 | GOLLOWAY, BUECHELE TALK BEDLAM
OU Head Coach Sunny Golloway and junior All-American Garrett Buechele talk about the rivalry with Oklahoma State and the addition of the midweek game.
View video from Sunday's postgame from Coach Golloway and Buechele on Oklahoma State:
BEDLAM SERIES
Since 1942, OSU leads 135-127. Oklahoma won last year’s series, 2-1, but dropped the non-conference midweek game at Stillwater, 7-6. OU has won five out of the last eight games and each of the last two Big 12 series. Below is a closer look at the rivalry between the Sooners and Cowboys.
- In games played in Norman, OU leads 20-18 since 1962. OSU won the last game in Norman in 1996, 14-4.
- Since 1997, 32 of the 51 games have been decided by three runs or less (OU leads 19-13). Sixteen of those games were one-run decisions where OU is 10-6.
- Sunny Golloway has coached in 48 Bedlam games as an assistant coach and head coach (OU is 21-27 in those games).
- The 2011 meeting marks the fifth straight season that at least one of the teams is ranked in the top 25. The 2006 season is the last time both teams entered a three- game set ranked (No. 8 OU vs. No. 24 OSU).
ON DECK
Over the weekend, OU returns to conference play with a three-game series at Kansas State held April 8-10. All three games will be broadcast on KREF 1400 AM.
LAST TIME OUT
The No. 7 Sooners were rained out on Tuesday at No. 13 Arkansas but came back home to post a three-game sweep over visiting Texas Tech. OU won 10-1, 11-1 and 8-5 for its first Big 12 series win of the year.
ROCHA NAMED BIG 12 PITCHER OF THE WEEK, AGAIN
After tossing a three-hit, one-run complete game, senior captain Michael Rocha was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week on April 4. It marks the third career honor from the conference office for Rocha and the second of 2011 (March 7). It also represents the fifth time a Sooner has been recognized by the Big 12 this season after Garrett Buechele has twice been named the player of the week (Feb. 21 and 28) and Jordan John was tabbed the newcomer of the week (Feb. 28).
MISC NOTES
- After 28 games, OU leads the Big 12 in batting average (.336), and ranks fourth in earned run average (3.10) and fifth in fielding percentage (.976).
- OU leads the Big 12 with 24 home runs while the other nine teams in the conference have a combined 102.
- OU leads the conference with 229 runs, the next closest team, Nebraska, has scored 198 runs. The Sooners lead the Big 12 in hits with 326, while Nebraska is second with 302.
- The Sooner offense has outscored the opposition 229-102.
- OU has outscored opponents 34-12, 34-10 and 40-10 in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings, respectively.
- Garrett Buechele, the Big 12 Player of the Week on Feb. 21 and 28, leads the Big 12 with seven homers. He has more home runs than Missouri and Texas with five and tied with Kansas.
- Buechele also leads OU and the Big 12 leads with a .427 batting avg., 50 hits, seven homers and 37 RBIs.
- In 18 of the Sooners’ 28 starts, the hurlers have lasted at least five innings, including four complete games by Jordan John, Bobby Shore and Michael Rocha (2). OU owns four of the 12 complete games tossed in 2011.
- Seven freshmen have seen playing time and 10 newcomers overall have taken the field.
- Michael Rocha and the Sooner bullpen limited the Tribe to one hit on Feb.18, the fewest allowed since OU’s last no-hitter, a combined effort on March 9, 2005 vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff
- Rocha struck out 13 batters in the March 18 shutout vs.Texas A&M, the most by a Sooner since Daniel McCutchen also sat down 13 Aggies on April 7, 2006.
- Rocha, a two-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, has lasted atleast seven innings in all seven starts with five or more strikeouts in each outing. Rocha has also limited the
opposition to three hits or less in four of his starts … Rocha is tied for the national lead with seven wins and rankssecond with 55.2 innings pitched and a .154 opponent batting avg., third with a 0.97 ERA and fifth with 47 strikeouts.
SHUTOUTS
Michael Rocha’s 13 strikeouts and Ryan Duke’s first save of 2011 led OU to a 1-0 shutout over then-No. 11 Texas A&M on March 18. The Sooners have two shutouts in the books, also blanked SDSU 4-0 on March 3, after posting three in 2010. OU has also limited opponents to one run in eight games. The most shutouts recorded in a single season during the Sunny Golloway era is five, recorded in 2009, 2007 and 2006.
DUKE AND BUSHYHEAD RETURN
Junior shortstop Caleb Bushyhead and senior right-handed pitcher Ryan Duke returned to action against Arkansas-Little Rock. Bushyhead had two hits and two walks in his first start on March 11 after having surgery on his torn ACL (right) in October. On March 12, Ryan Duke made his first relief appearance of 2011 and did not register a save, but recorded his 14th career win.
DUKE IS ALL-TIME SAVES LEADER AT OU
Ryan Duke, who is on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year watch list for the second straight year, recorded his first save of 2011 on March 18 vs. Texas A&M and moved into sole possession of first place on OU’s all-time saves list (below).
Duke finished with 12 saves in 2010, the nation’s 12th best total, and ranked second in the Big 12. He led the Big 12 in saves with 16 in 2009 (ranked sixth in the nation), the second most in a single season by a Sooner (Jeff Bajenaru - 20, 2000). He is the first Sooner in OU history to have 10 or more saves in two seasons.
1. 31 - Ryan Duke (2008-present)
2. 28 - Jeff Bajenaru (1999-00)
THE BIG INNING
OU has hit through the batting order 14 times in 28 games. OU had 23 such occasions in 2010. In addition, the Sooners have plated five or more runs in eight different innings, including 14 in the eighth inning on Feb. 22 vs. UAPB. The 14 runs tied an OU record for most scored in an inning with the 1998 Sooners that plated 14 in one frame against Emporia State on Feb. 17.
ONE-RUN GAMES
The Sooners are 3-1 this season in games decided by one run. OU was 14-7 in those situations in 2010 and the Sooners are 66-27-1 (.707) under head coach Sunny Golloway. The Sooners’ skipper entered 2011 with the best winning percentage among Big 12 coaches over the last five years in that category.
DOUBLE DIGITS
The Sooners recorded 10 or more hits in 15 games this season (42 in 2010 with a 38-4 record), including four straight and are averaging 11.6 overall on the season.
OU is averaging eight runs per game, featuring 11 contests scored in double digits (23 in 2010 with 22-1 record). OU posted 27 in game one of the UAPB series, the most since exploding for 29 runs on March 22, 2009 at Kansas State.
OGLE ON JOHNNY BENCH WATCH LIST
For the second straight season, junior catcher Tyler Ogle was named to the Johnny Bench watch list for the 2011 season. Ogle caught in 42 games last year as he hit .331 with 11 homers and 46 RBIs, while recording a .992 fielding percentage and throwing out 11 base stealers. The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission released the Watch List for the 2011 Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award delivered by Papa John’s Pizza on March 10.
BLAIR, BUECHELE, OGLE & ROCHA NAMED CAPTAINS
Seniors Elliott Blair and Michael Rocha and juniors Garrett Buechele and Tyler Ogle were voted as the 2011 captains by their teammates back in October during the team’s annual visit to Willow Springs Boys Ranch in Chandler, Okla. Buechele is is the only two-time captain (2010).
BUECHELE A PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Junior Garrett Buechele was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Collegiate Baseball preseason All-America teams. It marks the first such selection for Buechele, who was tabbed a second team All-American following the Sooners’ 2010 postseason run. Buechele led OU in every offensive category en route to the program’s 10th CWS appearance and first since 1995. The Arlington, Texas, was selected in the 18th round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers.
He is the second Sooner to be named to a preseason list under head coach Sunny Golloway’s watch (Ryan Duke in 2010).
BASEBALL ON KREF 1400 AM IN 2011 | PDF of schedule
The 2011 season marks the second with KREF 1400 AM serving as the flagship station of Sooner baseball. The partnership provides expanded coverage for OU fans to listen to 54 regular season games live over the air and extends into postseason play.
Additionally, 23 of the games are set to be carried on the Sooners Sports’ Network, enabling fans to listen to OU baseball on the radio state-wide. The state-wide coverage begins on April 1 against Texas Tech and will continue for each of the games in Big 12 play. The network schedule also includes OU’s midweek games at home vs. Oklahoma State (April 5) and TCU (April 12).
The entire 56-game regular season schedule will also be broadcast live on the internet via Oklahoma All-Access, OU’s premium content site.
2011 TELEVISION SCHEDULE | PDF of schedule
In 2011, 13 baseball games will be televised locally for the 2011 season by Sooner Vision and Sooner Sports Properties. The broadcasts will air via the Sooner Sports Network on Cox Channel 3 in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Local sports personality Toby Rowland from KWTV News 9 (Oklahoma City) will call the play-by-play along with color analyst Kenny Mossman, Oklahoma Associate Athletics Director for Communications.
On top of the local coverage, the Sooners can also be seen nationally for three contests. In the last six years, 69 OU games have been seen on regional or national television, with 20 telecasts in 2010.
Sooner Sports Network-Cox Ch. 3 in OKC/Tulsa)
March 12 - Arkansas Little Rock (2 p.m.)
March 13 - Arkansas Little Rock (1 p.m.)
March 18 - Texas A&M (6:30 p.m.)
March 19 - Texas A&M (2 p.m. )
March 20 - Texas A&M (1 p.m.)
April 3 - Texas Tech (1 p.m.)
April 5 - Oklahoma State (6:30 p.m.)
April 12 - TCU (6:30 p.m.)
April 17 - vs. Oklahoma State (4:05 p.m.)
April 19 - Dallas Baptist (6:30 p.m.)
May 6 - Kansas (6:30 p.m.)
May 8 - Kansas (1 p.m.)
May 15 - New Mexico (1 p.m.)
Fox Sports Arizona
March 16 - at Arizona State (8:30 p.m.)
Fox Sports Midwest
March 27 - at Missouri (1 p.m.)
Fox Sports Southwest
April 30 - at Texas (11:30 a.m.)
May 7 - Kansas (2 p.m.)
ESPNU
May 1 - at Texas (1 p.m.)
April 2 - vs. Texas Tech (7 p.m.)
Cowboy Sports Network
April 15 - vs. Oklahoma State (7:35 p.m.)
SOONERS INK 14 FOR 2012 SEASON
Oklahoma baseball head coach Sunny Golloway announced the signing of 14 student athletes as part of the 2012 signing class on Wednesday. The recruits signed National Letters of Intent in the early signing period and are set to join the Sooners next fall.
Overall, 12 of the 14 recruits are rated by Perfect Game Crosschecker as prospects for the 2011 MLB Draft. Four of the signees have already been selected in the draft, including three last season.
Clayton Blackburn | RHP | 6-2 | 210
Edmond, Okla. (Edmond Santa Fe H.S.)
Brian Brightwell | OF/1B | L/L | 6-0 |185
Oklahoma City, Okla. (Putnam City H.S.)
Tony Calhoun | RHP/ INF | R/R | 6-1 | 180
Temecula, Calif. (Howard College)
Garrett Carey | SS | R/R | 6-2 | 210
Hutto, Texas (McClennan C.C.)
Mason Hope | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 185
Broken Arrow, Okla. (Broken Arrow H.S.)
Adrian Houser | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 200
Locust Grove, Okla. (Locust Grove H.S.)
Nick Lee | LHP/ OF | L/L | 6-0 | 190
San Antonio, Texas (Weatherford College)
Hunter Lockwood | C | R/R | 5-11 | 189
Bedford, Texas (Lawrence Dale Bell H.S.)
Damien Magnifico | RHP | R/R | 6-1 | 190
Mesquite, Texas (Howard College)
Austin O’Donnell | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 210
Magnolia, Ark. (Northeast Texas C.C.)
Steven Okert | LHP | L/L | 6-3 | 215
Rowlett, Texas | Grayson County College
Jacob Rhame | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 190
Corinth, Texas (Denton Guyer H.S.)
Nick Sawyer | RHP | R/R | Fr. | 5-10 | 180
Carrollton, Texas (Howard College)
Ty Washington | INF | R/R | 5-10 | 165
Richardson, Texas (Plano East H.S.)
