No. 24 Oklahoma Closes Out Big 12 Regular Season

May 10, 2000

PDF Formatted Notes

NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma Sooners, ranked 24th in this week's USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN poll, travel to Ames, Iowa, this weekend to close out the Big 12 regular season against Iowa State. Game times are set for 3 p.m. on Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday.

There are two schedule changes this week to note for OU. Sunday's start time against ISU was moved up due to a team travel conflict. Wednesday's previously scheduled game between Oklahoma and Oral Roberts in Norman has been cancelled due to overscheduling by both teams.

OU improved to 35-18 overall and 18-9 in the Big 12 Conference after completing a three-game sweep of Missouri on Monday night. Iowa State, who will play two mid-week contests against Western Illinois before hosting Oklahoma, stand at 16-35 overall and 6-21 in the conference.

LAST TIME OUT
The Sooners completed a three-game sweep of the Missouri Tigers on Monday night to rack up their fourth conference series sweep of the season. Oklahoma won 11-3 on Saturday night and closed out the series with 11-7 and 9-4 victories in Sunday and Monday's contests, respectively.

All three of OU's starting pitchers during the series (Evan Greusel, Austin Mix and Logan Cuellar) improved their records by obtaining wins in each of their starts.

THE HISTORY
OU leads the series 29-6 over ISU during the last 10 years, including a 6-1 edge during Big 12 action.

In 1999, Oklahoma swept Iowa State in three games in Norman. Last year, the Sooners' offense outscored the Cyclones, 32-17.

OU has not played in Ames since the 1996 season. The two teams played a single neutral-site contest in Tulsa in 1998.

SCOUTING THE CYCLONES
Iowa State enters the final weekend of conference regular season play having dropped their last seven games. The Cyclones, who suffered all seven losses on the road, return home where they own an 11-11 record at Cap Timm Field.

Senior outfielder Aaron Runk leads the Cyclones offensively with a .365 average, while infielder Rob Conway paces Iowa State with his team-leading eight home runs and 48 RBIs. Righthanded pitcher Mike Laesch has registered four wins to lead the pitching staff in wins. ISU starting pitchers have posted an amazing 11 complete games this season.

SOONERS VS. THE CYCLONES
OKLAHOMA CAREER STATS VERSUS IOWA STATE

PITCHERS

	G	W-L	S	ERA	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
Jeff Bajenaru, Sr.	2	1-0	1	2.25	4.0	4	1	1	1	3
Evan Greusel, So.	1	0-0	0	4.09	2.2	2	1	1	0	3
Rick Park, Sr.	1	1-0	0	1.50	6.0	5	1	1	3	4

POSITION PLAYERS

	G	AVG.	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO
Jeff Bajenaru, Sr.	3	.250	12	5	3	1	0	1	6	2	1
Chad Cochell, Sr.	3	.333	6	1	2	0	0	0	0	1	1
Zach Lekse, Sr.	3	.308	13	1	4	0	0	0	1	1	0
Sean Murphy, Jr.	3	.273	11	7	6	2	0	1	3	3	1
Rick Park, Sr.	7	.417	24	6	10	2	1	2	9	2	4
Jeremy Vidales, Sr.	3	.300	10	2	3	0	0	0	1	1	1
Tommy Whiteman, So.	3	.667	12	6	8	3	1	0	9	0	0
Josh Witcher, Sr.	1	.333	3	1	1	1	0	0	2	0	1

ACADEMIC ALL-BIG 12 SELECTIONS
Oklahoma baseball team members Jeff Bajenaru and Rocky Cherry were named to the 2000 Baseball Academic All-Big 12 Team, as announced by the conference office today. Cherry was a first team selection for the second-consecutive year, while Bajenaru was recognized as a member of the second team.

A sophomore pitcher from Coppell, Texas, Cherry is currently focusing on university studies, while Bajenaru, a senior outfielder/pitcher who hails from Chino Hills, Calif., is majoring in sociology and obtaining a minor in criminology. Both scholar-athletes also garnered Sooner Scholar accolades from the university athletic department for their academic accomplishments during the 1999 fall semester.

Forty-four conference student-athletes were honored as members of the baseball academic all-league squad, which consisted of 25 first team and 19 second team members. First team members are those that have posted a grade point average of 3.2 or better, while second team members are those denoted as having a GPA between 3.0 and 3.19.

DIAMOND NOTES
Along with Baylor, Oklahoma is the only other Big 12 team to sweep four league series this season. It marks the first time during head coach Larry Cochell's tenure that an OU team has accomplished the feat.

The Sooners among conference team leaders (through all games - as of May 7): batting average (second - .314), pitching (sixth - 4.80) and fielding (second - .968), (during Big 12 Conference games - as of May 7): batting average (third - .308), pitching (fifth - 4.97) and fielding (first - .974).

As of May 7, Oklahoma was 18th in the nation in team fielding with a .968 fielding percentage.

Shortstop Tommy Whiteman has currently stolen 14-consecutive bases. The school record is held by Rick Gutierrez who swiped 30-straight bases between the 1993 and 1994 seasons.

With a win in Sunday's contest against Missouri, righthanded hurler Austin Mix became the first freshman starting pitcher since Bobby Witt to tally 10 wins in a season for the Sooners. Mix's 10 wins ties him with Witt as the winningest freshman starting pitcher at OU.

Mix is tied for ninth in the nation in wins and team closer Jeff Bajenaru is ranked second in the nation in saves, through games of May 7.

BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK - AGAIN
Oklahoma first baseman Rick Park has been honored as the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week twice this season. The senior from Norman, Okla., garnered the recognition for the weeks of March 27 - April 2 and April 17 - April 23. The awards mark the first two times in his accomplished four-year career at OU that Park has received the honor.

Park captured his first Player of the Week honor by leading the Sooners with a team-best .500 average, connecting in eight of 16 at bats over the week. He also was credited with seven RBIs and scored five runs to lead the Sooners. In addition, Park registered three multi-hit performances in four games.

Park led the Sooners to a perfect 5-0 record for the week to earn his second Player of the Week honor. He batted .600 (12-for-20) with five runs scored and 12 RBIs, including three home runs and four multi-RBI performances. His performances helped guide Oklahoma to their first regular-season sweep of Oklahoma State since the 1976 season.

BREAKING INTO THE POLLS
The University of Oklahoma baseball team broke into the nation's top 25 collegiate baseball polls two weeks ago. Baseball America ranked Oklahoma at No. 19, Collegiate Baseball listed the team at No. 20, while the team rounded out the polls at No. 23 in the USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN rankings. It marked the first time the Sooners have been ranked in both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball polls since the week of May 18, 1998, when Oklahoma was No. 14 in Collegiate Baseball and No. 20 in Baseball America.

OU currently remains ranked in only the USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN poll at No. 24.

OU's PREMIER CLOSER
As of April 30, senior team closer Jeff Bajenaru was second in the nation in saves with 16 and as of May 7, ranked first in the Big 12 Conference in the category. Baseball America recently recognized the Chino Hills, Calif., native as a senior All-American candidate as a relief pitcher as well as a utility player in their collegiate mid-season report.

Bajenaru became Oklahoma's career and single-season saves leader after picking up his 15th save as a Sooner this season. Bajenaru broke both records held by former Sooner Bucky Buckles, who captured all 14 of his saves in Oklahoma's national championship season of 1994.

The righthanded reliever racked up eight saves last season and currently owns 16 this year after tallying one save last week. Bajenaru is 24-for-27 in saves opportunities over the last two years.

STREAKING INFIELDERS
Shortstop Tommy Whiteman had a career-high 19-game hitting streak snapped at Texas Tech. The sophomore batted .455 (35-for-77) with 22 runs scored and 15 RBIs over the stretch. He also hit two home runs, eight doubles and two triples over the span.

The streak was the second-longest produced by a Sooner this season. Second baseman Zach Lekse set a career-high 21-game hitting streak that was snapped at Kansas. Lekse hit .376 (32-for-85) with 14 runs scored and 11 RBIs over the month-long stretch. The streak placed Lekse in third place on the school's all-time consecutive games hit safely list.

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.

SOONER ALUMNI IN THE MAJORS
As of opening day of the 2000 Major League Baseball season, the Sooners had six former players on the opening day rosters. The group includes Ryan Minor (Baltimore Orioles), Greg Norton (Chicago White Sox), Bobby Witt (Cleveland Indians), Mark Redman (Minnesota Twins), Darron Cox (Montreal Expos) and Russ Ortiz (San Francisco Giants). The total is second to Texas' eight former alumni, while the Big 12 Conference boasts 22 players total.

Last year, 27 players with conference ties played in the majors. There have been 295 alumni of Big 12 schools to play in the highest division of organized baseball.

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.

SOONERS ON TELEVISION
The Sooner baseball team is scheduled to have five games televised this season on major cable television networks. The Oklahoma-Texas series this weekend (March 31 - April 2) will be broadcast by College Sports Southwest. OU will have its contest against Texas A&M on Saturday, April 8, televised by FOX Sports Net at 7 p.m. The second game of the Bedlam Series between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State at the Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City on Saturday, April 22 at 2 p.m., will also be broadcast by FOX Sports Net.

SOONER SPORTSTALK
Head coach Larry Cochell talks about Sooner baseball and answers call-in questions every Thursday night at 7 p.m. on Sooner Sportstalk on KOMA 1520 AM. The Red Lobster in Oklahoma City sponsors the live 30-minute radio show which is hosted by local television talent Bob Barry, Sr.

ALL-AMERICAN WATCHES

FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN
Austin Mix * RHP * 6-3 * 208 * R/R
Coppell, Texas (Coppell HS)

W/L: 10-1 ERA: 4.75 APP: 16 GS: 12

Through games of May 7, Mix was tied for ninth in the country in wins. Only two other freshman ranked ahead of the Coppell, Texas, native in the category.

Mix's 10th win in his last decision tied him with former Sooner Bobby Witt as the winningest freshman pitcher in school history.

Owns a perfect 7-0 record against Big 12 Conference opponents.

Mix's ten wins have included victories over three Top 25-ranked opponents, including Arizona State, Baylor and Texas.

The righthander's only loss was a 3-2 loss to nationally-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette in which Mix went seven innings and allowed only three runs on three hits while striking out eight.

Among the Big 12 Conference leaders (as of May 7):

Wins: T-1st (10)
Opponent Batting Average: 5th (.221)
Strikeouts: 5th (84)
Innings Pitched: T-8th (89.0)

Has won his last six-consecutive decisions.

Went a stretch of 16 innings without allowing an earned run, covering a span of two starts.

Owns a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.2:1, while averaging 8.5 strikeouts per game.

Established a career-high in strikeouts in his second start against Kansas State by fanning 11 batters.

UTILITY/PITCHER
Jeff Bajenaru * P/OF * SR
6-1 * 190 * R/R * Chino Hills, Calif. (Riverside C.C.)

The Sooners' starting rightfielder and team closer. Has also seen time as the team's designated hitter.

As of May 7, Bajenaru ranked second in the nation in saves with 16.

Among the Big 12 Conference leaders - through all games (as of May 7):

Saves: 1st (16)
Appearances: 2nd (29)

Among the Big 12 Conference offensive leaders - through conference games (as of May 7):

Batting average: 10th (.364)
Hits: T-8th (39)
Doubles: T-6th (9)
RBIs: T-7th (26)
Total bases: 5th (69)

Broke the school's career and single-season save records already this season.

Bajenaru has saved almost half of the Sooners' 35 wins.

16-for-19 in save opportunities this season.

Four of his 16 saves have come against Top 25-ranked teams.

Batting .306 (15-for-49), including nine runs scored and 10 RBIs, versus nationally-ranked teams, while compiling a 1.64 ERA over 11.0 innings pitched against the Top 25-ranked teams.

Has ranked consistently in the top five of every major team offensive category this season.

Selected in a recent issue of Baseball America as a mid-season All-American candidate as both a relief pitcher and a utility player.

SOONERS AT A GLANCE

2 Zach Lekse
Starting second baseman.

Has started 111-of-112 games over the last two years. Missed the Central Oklahoma game this year due to a slight ankle sprain.

Established a career-high 21-game hitting streak this season.

Collected at least one hit in every game versus Missouri, including two multi-hit performances.

Among the team leaders: runs scored (second - 44) and hits (third - 71).

3 Sean Murphy
Starting leftfielder.

Made appearances this year in right field, second base, first base, left field and as the team's designated hitter.

Among the team leaders: stolen bases (tied for second - 14), triples (tied for second - 2), home runs (third - 6), RBIs (fourth - 31), doubles (fifth - 13), slugging percentage (fourth - .447) and total bases (fourth - 92).

6 Tommy Whiteman
Starting shortstop.

Established a career-high 19-game hitting streak this season.

Collected two hits in every game versus Missouri, while scoring five runs and driving in six.

Ranks in the top five in every major offensive category.

Compiled team-bests .485 average against lefthanded pitching and .416 average with two outs.

Among the conference leaders (through all games - as of May 7): batting average (eighth - .369), hits (fourth - 76), triples (tied for third - 4), runs scored (tied for eighth - 50), stolen bases (tied for seventh - 19) and total bases (tied for ninth - 113).

8 Jerome Godsey
Starting centerfielder and the team's lead-off hitter.

Has started every game in centerfield this season.

Only Sooner to hit a grand slam home run this season.

Collected three multi-hit performances against Missouri.

Batting a team-best .714 average with the bases loaded and a team-best .400 average with runners in scoring position.

Among the team leaders: on base percentage (first - .447), walks (first - 27), batting average (second - .361), runs scored (third - 43), hits (second - 73), total bases (fifth - 88), stolen bases (fourth - 7) and RBIs (fifth - 30).

Among the conference leaders (through all games - as of May 7): batting average (tied for 13th - .357) and hits (sixth - 71).

17 Logan Cuellar
Has moved into the weekend rotation as the Sunday starter.

Pitched his longest outing of the year in his last start against Missouri working five scoreless innings.

Among team leaders: ERA (first - 1.46) and opposing batting average (fifth - .238).

22 Jason Bartlett
Starting third baseman.

Has started every game at third base this season.

Hitting .577 over the last two weeks with seven runs scored and nine RBIs.

Currently posting a team-leading .368 average against righthanded hitters.

Among the team leaders: stolen bases (tied for second - 14), doubles (tied for third - 14), triples (tied for fourth - 1), walks (fourth - 19), batting average (fourth - .340), slugging percentage (fifth - .438) and on base percentage (tied for fourth - .405).

27 Austin Mix
No. 2 pitcher in the starting rotation.

As of May 7, Mix was tied for ninth in the nation in wins.

Ranks in the top five on the team in every major pitching category.

Among the conference leaders (through all games): ERA (16th - 4.75), wins (tied for first - 10), strikeouts (fifth - 84), innings pitched (tied for eighth - 89.0) and opposing batting average (fifth - .221).

28 Jeff Bajenaru
Team closer and starting rightfielder.

Collected multi-hit performances in every game against Missouri last week.

Ranks in the top five on the team in every major offensive category except stolen bases and triples.

Among pitching team leaders: appearances (first - 30), ERA (second - 2.59), opposing batting average (fourth - .223) and strikeouts (fourth - 43).

Among the conference pitching leaders (through all games - as of May 7): saves (first - 16) and appearances (second - 29).

32 Rick Park
Starting first baseman.

Two-time Big 12 Conference Player of the Week.

Collected two multi-hit performances against Missouri over the weekend.

Ranks in the top five in every major offensive category except triples and stolen bases.

Among the conference leaders (through all games): home runs (tied for fourth - 14), RBIs (fourth - 59) and total bases (fifth - 123).

37 Evan Greusel
No. 1 pitcher in the starting rotation.

All four wins have come in Big 12 action.

Struck out a career-high 10 batters against Missouri and pitched his first complete career game.

Ranks in the top five in every major team pitching category except appearances.

Among the conference pitching leaders (through all games): ERA (ninth - 3.33) and opposing batting average (fifth - .212).

BULLPEN BITS

JEFF BAJENARU:
Saves/blown saves: 16/3
Inherited runners/scored: 15/2

Last appearance: 5/8 vs. Missouri - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO

OU's career and single-season saves leader.

Four saves have come against Top 25-ranked teams.

Through games of May 7, Bajenaru was second in the nation and first in the Big 12 Conference in saves.

Bajenaru has saved almost half of the teams' wins (35).

ROCKY CHERRY:
Saves/blown saves: -/-
Inherited runners/scored: 3/0

Last appearance: 5/8 vs. Missouri - 2.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Moved out of the starting rotation and into the bullpen.

As a relief pitcher, has compiled a 3-0 record with a 3.68 ERA, surrendering seven earned runs in 17.1 innings pitched.

AUSTIN COOSE:
Saves/blown saves: -/-
Inherited runners/scored: 5/5

Last appearance: 5/8 vs. Missouri - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO

Moved into the bullpen after beginning the season as a starter.

Allowed only three hits over his first two relief appearances (a stretch of 3.2 innings pitched).

Sat down 12-straight batters against Oklahoma State.

CLINT DUNBAR:
Saves/blown saves: -/-
Inherited runners/scored: 9/5

Last appearance: 4/25 vs. No. 3 Arizona State - 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO

Surrendered only three hits and one run through his first five outings.

Picked up his first collegiate win against McNeese State.

BRANDON HANKINS:
Saves/blown saves: -/-
Inherited runners/scored: 3/1

Last appearance: 4/25 vs. No. 3 Arizona State - 0.0 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Did not allow a run to score through his first three innings pitched.

JEFF WIGINGTON:
Saves/blown saves: -/-
Inherited runners/scored: 1/1

Last appearance: 3/24 vs. No. 21 Baylor - 0.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Earned his first start of the season and posted career highs in innings pitched (8) and strikeouts (6) against Murray State.

Earned second start of the season last Tuesday against McNeese State.

University of Oklahoma Athletics