Sooner Baseball Takes Three-Game Winning Streak On The Road

Feb. 22, 2000

NORMAN, Okla. - Coming off a sweep last weekend at the Hilton Plaza Houston Tournament in Houston, the University of Oklahoma baseball team takes its three-game winning streak to Fort Worth on Tuesday, Feb. 22, to face Texas Christian at 2:30 p.m., before heading to Louisiana-Lafayette for a three-game set this weekend. The series against the Ragin' Cajuns begins Friday at 7 p.m. and wraps up on Saturday and Sunday (1 p.m. start times).

LAST TIME OUT
The Sooners left Houston this weekend as the Hilton Plaza Houston Tournament champions after sweeping Sam Houston State, #10 Houston and Oral Roberts.

Oklahoma defeated Sam Houston State on Friday, 9-8, with the help of a two-run home run by catcher Eliot Joyner and a three-run shot by designated hitter Rick Park. OU then upset the nationally-ranked Cougars, 3-1, on strong efforts from four Sooner pitchers, while Jeff Bajenaru closed out his second game of the tournament to pick up his second save on the year. OU clinched the tournament title on Sunday with a 15-2 blow out of in-state rival Oral Roberts as Austin Coose (2-1) captured his second victory of the year and sophomore catcher Chris Haggard nailed a home run and collected four RBIs in his first start.

THE HISTORY
Oklahoma is 15-6 against TCU under head coach Larry Cochell, including victories in the last seven matchups between the two teams. Most recently, OU won 6-3 over the Horned Frogs at home and 14-12 in Fort Worth in 1999.

Friday's game against Louisiana-Lafayette will mark the first time that the Sooners have faced the Ragin' Cajuns during the Cochell era. It will also be the first time that Cochell has faced Louisiana-Lafayette in his 34-year coaching career.

SCOUTING THE HORNED FROGS
Texas Christian enters Tuesday's contest with a 4-8 record after dropping its last three games to nationally-ranked Baylor over the weekend. The Horned Frogs picked up early season victories over Southwest Texas, Texas-Arlington, Iowa State and Texas Tech.

TCU is led at the plate by outfielder Tom Bates, who is hitting .500 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. On the mound, righthander Shawn Thompson posts a 1.88 ERA and a 1-1 record through three starts and five appearances.

SCOUTING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Louisiana-Lafayette broke into the Baseball America top-25 poll this week and carries an 8-1 record after sweeping Southern Mississippi at home last weekend. The team's lone loss was a 7-5 defeat to Southeastern Louisiana in the second weekend of the season.

The Ragin' Cajuns have six batters in their starting lineup hitting .310 or better, including senior third baseman Nathan Nelson who is hitting .410 with two home runs and nine RBIs. Louisiana-Lafayette also boasts two starters in Scott Dohmann and Eric Templet who have picked up three victories apiece already on the season.

SWITCHING BACK
After senior Jeff Bajenaru and sophomore Rocky Cherry began the season as the squad's No. 1 starter and closer, respectively, Oklahoma's coaches have found that things were better the way they were before.

As a starter, Bajnaru was 0-1 on the season in two attempts. Since reverting to the closing role, in which he tallied a team-high eight saves in 1999, Bajenaru has already picked up two saves in his first two chances. Cherry was also successful in his first start on the season as he allowed only one run and combined with three other Sooner pitchers to defeat 10th-ranked Houston in the Hilton Plaza Houston Tournament this past weekend. The Coppell, Texas, native had seen action is four other games on the season in the late innings (non-save situations).

FIT TO CLOSE
After collecting two saves this weekend in the Hilton Plaza Houston Tournament, senior closer Jeff Bajenaru is flawless on the season in save opportunities. Dating back to last season, Bajenaru is perfect (10-for-10) in save situations he has encountered as a Sooner.

In 1999, Bajenaru racked up a team-best eight saves to rank second in the Big 12. The total also placed Bajenaru second (to Bucky Buckles' 14 saves in 1994) on the OU single-season saves chart.

OFF AND RUNNING
Through the first eight games, the Sooners are 17-for-23 (74%) in the stolen base department. The team is averaging 2.13 stolen bases per game and have swiped 10 more bases than its opponents, while attempting to steal twice as many times.

There have only been two games this season in which the team did not collect a stolen base. OU did not total 17 steals as a team until the 25th game last season.

SOPHOMORE SENSATIONS
The group of four sophmore pitchers (Micheal Bradbury, Rocky Cherry, Clint Dunbar and Evan Greusel) that were thrown into action early as true freshmen last year have come of age and have been positive contributors to the team's success so far in 2000. Seeing limited action primarily in relief, the group has combined to appear in 11 games, pitching 17 innings, while surrendering only three runs to post a 1.59 ERA.

Cherry is the only one of the four to receive a start, coming out with a win against the nationally-ranked Houston Cougars.

STREAKS AND MORE. . .
With a win against TCU, a four-game winning streak would equal the longest streak of the 1999 season . . . Designated hitter Jeremy Vidales' three walks against Houston established a career high . . . Utility player Sean Murphy currently owns the team's longest hitting streak at six games . . . Murphy's appearance in left field against Houston was the fourth position that he has played this season (he has also served as designated hitter in one other game) . . . Sunday's 13-hit barrage by the Sooners in the Oral Roberts game matched the previous season high set against Sam Houston State . . . The Sooners have gone errorless in their last two games after committing errors in five of the first six games.

DEFENSIVE GEM
Senior Zach Lekse was recognized in October as a Division I runner-up for the 1999 Easton Redline Defensive Award. The annual award, which is published in Collegiate Baseball, is presented to an individual in each NCAA division and at the high school level who has displayed outstanding defensive skills in the field.

As a member of the OU baseball team that finished the season ranked third in the nation in fielding percentage, the Martinez, Calif., native was a main contributor to the team's defensive success. Starting all 59 games for the Sooners, Lekse made 75 putouts, a team-high 171 assists while committing only 12 errors. He also sported a .953 fielding percentage. Lekse's outstanding defensive numbers combined with a solid offensive effort earned the former junior college transfer second-team All-Big 12 honors at the shortstop position in his first season of Big 12 competition.

MILESTONE VICTORY
With the Sooners' 9-4 victory on opening day against Oklahoma Baptist, head coach Larry Cochell picked up his 350th win at Oklahoma. Beginning his tenth year at OU, Cochell has acheived the milestone quicker than any other baseball coach in school history. It is the second time in his coaching career that Cochell has surpassed the mark as he accomplished 428 victories as the head coach at Oral Roberts.

AYE, AYE CAPTAIN!
Head coach Larry Cochell, who has only named a team captain once during his tenure at Oklahoma, has chosen seniors Jeff Bajenaru, Zach Lekse and Rick Park to act as the team's co-captains for the 2000 season. The trio are the first team captains to be named by Cochell since 1995 when Rich Hills was appointed the duties.

PARK IN THE RECORD BOOKS
As senior Rick Park enters his final season in a Sooner uniform, the Norman, Okla., native looks primed to climb his way to the top of several Oklahoma career offensive records. In addition to the categories listed, Park also has the opportunity to break into the top ten in career hits, career runs scored and career doubles.

CAREER HOME RUNS:

1.	Casey Bookout	60	1996-99
2.	Brian Shackelford	55	1995-98
3.	John Russell	48	1980-82
4.	Chris Ebright	45	1987-89
5.	Kevin Pearson	43	1983-86
6.	Jeff Kaye	39	1982-85
	Damon Minor	39	1993-96
8.	Rick Park	35	1997-

CAREER RBIs

1.	Brian Shackelford	251	1995-98
2.	Chris Ebright	239	1987-89
3.	Casey Bookout	220	1996-99
4.	Rich Hills	190	1992-95
5.	Kevin Pearson	186	1983-86
6.	Damon Minor	171	1993-96
7.	Kelly Snider	167	1974-76
8.	Rick Park	158	1997-

CAREER EXTRA BASE HITS

1.	Brian Shackelford	132	1995-98
2.	Chris Ebright	120	1987-89
3.	Casey Bookout	119	1996-99
4.	Kevin Pearson	97	1983-86
5.	Rich Hills	95	1992-95
6.	Damon Minor	90	1993-96
7.	Javier Flores	84	1994-97
8.	John Russell	82	1980-82
9.	Rick Park	77	1997-

SWITCHING PLACES
The heart of the Sooners' infield, returning starters Zach Lekse and Tommy Whiteman, have encountered position changes for the 2000 season. A second team All-Big 12 selection at shortstop last year, Lekse will spend the year securing the defense up the middle of the infield at second base, while Whiteman will move from third base, where he started last year, into the vacancy left at shortstop by Lekse.

YOUNG GUNS
Of Oklahoma's 14 pitchers on the roster, half are underclassmen and five are in their first year of pitching at the Division I level.

Freshmen Brandon Hankins, Austin Mix and Patrick Wyrick are expected to make immediate impacts on the team. Mix is expected to eventually find his way into the starting rotation, while Hankins and Wyrick will play substantial roles in relief. Following elbow surgery performed over the summer, Hankins is anticipated to be available for action beginning in March. Wyrick is the 2000 recruiting class' lone draft pick as he was the Montreal Expos' 18th round pick in the 1999 Amateur Draft held in June.

Returning sophomores Michael Bradbury, Rocky Cherry, Clint Dunbar and Evan Greusel picked up a wealth of pitching experience in their first year on the mound in 1999, in both starting and relief roles, combining to pitch a total of 153 innings and tally nine wins.

JUCO transfers Mike Hale and Chuck Thumann will face their first Division I action this year coming out of the bullpen.

TOUGH COMPETITION
Once again, the Sooners' 2000 schedule features some of the country's toughest opponents. This season's competition includes seven teams that were ranked in the final 1999 Baseball America Top 25 poll as well as three 1999 College World Series participants. In addition to last year's final rankings, 10 of OU's 2000 opponents are ranked in either the 2000 Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball or Baseball Weekly/ESPN preseason polls.

For the fifth consecutive year, national powerhouse Arizona State will engage in a home-and-home series with the Sooners. Other schedule highlights include an appearance at the Southwestern Bell Ballpark in Oklahoma City on March 29 by 1999 College World Series participant Cal State-Fullerton. Oklahoma faces Texas A&M, another College World Series qualifier, on April 7-9 in College Station, Texas. Big 12 rival Texas travels to Norman for a three-game series beginning March 31, and OU will head to Lafayette, La. (Feb. 25-27), to face Louisiana-Lafayette who finished the 1999 season ranked 18th in the nation.

Oklahoma's annual Bedlam Series with 1999 College World Series participant Oklahoma State will be held at the end of April. The first of the three games will be played in Tulsa on Friday, April 21 at 7:30 pm, at Driller's Stadium. The Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark will host the final two games at 1 pm on Saturday, April 22, and Sunday, April 23. The series attracted over 42,235 fans over four games last year.

TAPPING THE JUCO CIRCUIT
Head coach Larry Cochell brought in a group of highly-touted junior college recruits to aid the Sooners' efforts in 2000. Cochell landed a first team Junior College All-American in Jerome Godsey. Godsey, a pitcher and outfielder at Santa Rosa (Calif.) C.C., batted .358, including 27 RBIs and 13 stolen bases, last season to also earn all-conference honors for the second year in a row.

Infielder Jason Bartlett and catcher/outfielder Eliot Joyner also highlight the JUCO unit. Bartlett averaged .457 with three home runs and 33 stolen bases in his final year at San Joaquin Delta C.C. (Calif.). Joyner garnered honorable mention conference honors in 1999 after hitting .326 with four home runs at Cerritos (Calif.) C.C.

CLASS OF 2001
The Sooners signed seven high school recruits during college baseball's early signing period in the fall to play for the Sooners beginning with the the 2001 season. Six of the signees hail from the state of Oklahoma, while the seventh hails from Arkansas. The recruiting class includes three pitchers, two outfielders, one infielder and one catcher.

Headlining the group is signee Jason Belcher, from Walnut Ridge (Ark.) High School, who is ranked as the 63rd top high school prospect in the nation by Baseball America and rated among the top three high school catchers in the country by Perfect Game scouting service.

SPEAKING OF RECRUITING CLASSES
The current group of newcomers was ranked as one of the top 30 recruiting classes in a recent issue of Collegiate Baseball. The class was rated as the 29th best recruiting class in the nation for 2000. Other Big 12 members listed in the rankings were Texas (3), Texas A&M (7), Oklahoma State (16) and Texas Tech (28).

OFF THE FIELD ACCOMPLISHMENTS
During the fall semester, 16 Sooners achieved a 3.0 or better grade point average for their efforts in the classroom. In addition, 13 players currently hold a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

BEAM CLAY FIELD OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Sooner baseball program was recently awarded second place in the Beam Clay Field of the Year Award competition for L. Dale Mitchell Park's quality field surface. Top honors are awarded to the most outstanding baseball fields in the nation at the professional, collegiate, high school and parks and recreation levels.

Oklahoma took first place honors in 1994, the last time OU was able to enter the contest. Programs can enter the competition only once every five years.

SOONERS ON THE AIR
Every Sooner baseball game will be broadcast on 1400 AM KNOR-Norman, and 1490 AM KOKC-Guthrie. There will also be 10 games aired on the Sooner Radio Network. The broadcast team will consist of Mark Mathew and Mike Treps.

In addition to the radio, each broadcast will be carried on the Internet. To hear Sooner baseball anywhere in the world, log on to the University of Oklahoma's athletic web site at www.soonersports.com.

L DALE MITCHELL PARK RENOVATIONS UPDATE
The two-phase facelift for L. Dale Mitchell Park is nearing completion. The first phase of the renovations was completed during the 1998 season and inluded an upper concourse, additional rest rooms and additional concession stands. Phase two has already provided for new locker rooms, training room facility and equipment room for the team.

Plans are also in the works to add a National Championship team meeting room and indoor batting/pitching facilities contained within an addition behind the third base dugout.

SOONERS AT A GLANCE

2 Zach Lekse

Starting second baseman.
Missed the Central Oklahoma game due to a slight ankle sprain.
Hit .455 (5-for-11) with four runs scored and three RBIs during the Houston Tournament.

3 Sean Murphy

Started in every game, making appearances in right field, second base, first base, left field and as the team's designated hitter.
Was perfect at the plate (3-for-3) against Missouri Southern with a double and a home run, and two RBIs and two runs scored.
Tied for first on the team (among regular starters) in batting average (.414) and hits (12) and is third in total bases (17), runs scored (6) and slugging percentage (.586).

6 Tommy Whiteman

Starting at shortstop.
Drew a career-high three walks from Bison pitchers in the Oklahoma Baptist game.
Swiped two bases in the Missouri Southern contest.
Belted solo home runs in both games of the Oklahoma City series.
Contributed three runs scored and two RBIs during the Houston Tournament.
Ranks in the top five in every offensive category among regular starters.

8 Jerome Godsey

Starting centerfielder.
Blasted a grand slam home run in the season-opening game versus Oklahoma Baptist.
Broke out of a 2-for-11 slump to hit .545 (6-for-11) over the last three games
Leads the team in every hitting category (except home runs) among regular starters.

9 Eliot Joyner

Has started in right field and at the catching position.
Went 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI in his first game as a Sooner against Oklahoma City.
Hit his first home run in the Sam Houston State game as part of a 2-for-4 performance with a run scored and three RBIs.
Has thrown out three base runners from behind the plate.

22 Jason Bartlett

Starting third baseman and lead-off hitter.
Shined in the Central Oklahoma game as he was perfect at the plate (3-for-3) with a solo home run, two runs scored and two RBIs.
Has already posted four multi-hit games.
Leads the team in stolen bases with five.
Ranks third on the team in runs scored (6) and fourth in hits (10), doubles (2) and total bases (15).
Has not committed an error in 28 chances.

28 Jeff Bajenaru

Began the season as the team's No. 1 starter in the rotation, but has reverted back to the closer role.
Has also acted as the team's starting rightfielder and designated hitter.
His six strike outs in the Oklahoma Baptist game matched a career high.
Hit his first home run of the year against Missouri Southern.
Suffered his first loss of the season after pitching six innings and allowing three runs to Oklahoma City.
Picked up two saves against Sam Houston State and Houston.
Has collected a base hit in six of the last seven games.

32 Rick Park

Starting first baseman.
Has also served as the designated hitter and a starting pitcher.
Belted home runs in the Central Oklahoma and Sam Houston State games.
Picked up his first win of the season after pitching four innings and allowing only one run to Missouri Southern in his first start of 2000.
The three RBIs collected in the Sam Houston State game moved him into sole possession of eighth place on the school's career RBI list with 158.

38 Rocky Cherry

Came out of the bullpen to start the season, but will now serve as the team's No. 1 starter in the rotation.
In his four relief appearances he surrendered only two hits over four innings.
Allowed only one run on five hits in five innings to the 10th ranked Houston Cougars in picking up his first win of the year.

39 Austin Coose

No. 2 pitcher in the starting rotation.
Picked up his first win of the season in his first start in a Sooner uniform against Central Oklahoma.
Record fell to 1-1 on the season after suffering a loss to Oklahoma City in his second start.
Rebounded with a strong six-inning performance against Oral Roberts, allowing only six hits and one run, to earn his second win and help the team clinch the Houston Tournament title.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooner Baseball Takes Three-Game Winning Streak On The Road

SOONERS AT A GLANCE

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