Sooners Ranked No. 27 In Collegiate Baseball's Preseason Poll

Dec. 23, 2002

NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma baseball program received some good news as it heads into the holiday season by being ranked No. 27 in Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll as released by the publication on Monday. The Sooners are coming off a 35-27 season and will have the strength of seven returning starters in the field and three more on the mound to help with a second straight NCAA Tournament run in 2003.

"We take this initial preseason ranking as a sign of what good things are to come for Oklahoma baseball this season," commented OU head coach Larry Cochell after receiving news of the ranking. "We feel like we can live up to these expectations with the seasoned group we have coming back and with the positive momentum we gained at the end of last year."

Returning for Oklahoma this season are a trio of All-Big 12 Conference performers from a year ago. Senior second baseman Eddie Cornejo, sophomore hurler David Purcey and junior catcher Ryan Richardson each obtained all-conference honorable mention accolades for their efforts last year. In addition, Purcey and fellow sophomores Matt Bose (third base) and Jarod McAuliff (relief pitcher) picked up Freshman All-Big 12 honors in 2002. Purcey and Bose were both further decorated at the end of last season by receiving Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors by Collegiate Baseball.

Purcey headlines an experienced OU pitching staff which returns six hurlers who combined for nearly 70 percent of the team's innings pitched and wins from a year ago. Other starters expected to rejoin the lefty in the rotation are a pair of righthanders in senior Austin Mix (6-6, 6.44 ERA in 2002) and junior Mark Roberts (7-4, 4.32 ERA in 2002). Junior college All-American Mike Swindell from Riverside Community College is also expected to step in and give the staff an immediate boost.

Seven of OU's 2003 opponents were also listed in the rankings including Texas (No. 1), Arizona State (No. 12), Baylor (No. 17), Nebraska (No. 22), Southwest Missouri State (No. 24), Ohio State (No. 29) and Wichita State (No. 30).

The Sooners, whose fall team practice schedule was cut short due to bad weather, will return to campus in early January to begin preparations for the upcoming season which begins Friday, Feb. 7 against Southeast Missouri State at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooners Ranked No. 27 In Collegiate Baseball's Preseason Poll

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