Red River Rivalry Opens Big 12 Conference Play For The Sooners

Baseball's version of the Red River Rivalry hits Norman this weekend as No. 2 Texas (24-2) comes to town to face No. 23 Oklahoma (11-7) in the Big 12 Conference series opener for both schools. The series kicks off Friday night at 6:30 p.m. and continues throughout the weekend at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. All games will be played at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

Several special promotions will be in effect during the series. Schedule magnets and pom pons will be distributed to fans prior to each game, while every game a fan will have the chance to win a Russ Ortiz or Mark Redman autograph baseball.

Baseball Bingo presented by Gordmans will be played during the weekend where participants will have a chance to win a $10 gift card from Gordmans and OU gift packs.

Sunday's game is designated as Church Bulletin Day. Fans that present a church bulletin at the gate will receive a regular adult general admission ticket for $2 ($3 off the regular price). The promotion is based on ticket availability and limited to a maximum of four people per bulletin.

A “Speed Pitch Baseball Interactive” will be set up in the ballpark where fans can test their pitching skills.

Setting The Scene
DATES: March 19-21
FIRST PITCHES: Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m.
BALLPARK: L. Dale Mitchell Park (2,700)
LOCATION: Norman, Okla.
RADIO: The games will be broadcast locally on KREF (1400 AM) with Jim Byers calling the action. The broadcasts can also be heard on Oklahoma's official web site www.soonersports.com.
TELEVISION: None, however, The O-Zone, Oklahoma's subscription-based premium content area within SoonerSports.com, will air the entire series.
LIVE STATS: Live Stats, which can be accessed through soonersports.com, will be run during the series to provide fans live updates on the game's progress.
RANKINGS: Oklahoma is ranked 23rd in the Sports Weekly/ESPN poll. The Sports Weekly/ESPN poll has Texas ranked its highest in its poll at No. 1, followed by Baseball America and the NCBWA at No. 2 and Collegiate Baseball at No. 3.
TEXAS SERIES NOTES: Texas holds a dominating 116-46-2 lead over Oklahoma in the all-time series ... Under head coach Larry Cochell, OU is 17-29 versus UT ... Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference, UT holds a 17-8 edge in the series ... Both schools have competed in at least one regular season match up every year since 1985 ... The last two times Texas has visited Norman, the Longhorns have left taking two-out-of-three in the series ... Oklahoma last accomplished a three-game series sweep over Texas at L. Dale Mitchell Park during the 1998 season ... UT swept OU in three games last year in Austin by scores of 8-3, 10-2 and 5-4 ... The two teams also faced off in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament ... The Longhorns again came away with victory by a 5-4 count ... Russell Raley hit his first career home run in the game ... Pitcher Mark Roberts tied his career high of nine strikeouts in the regular season series opener ... Righthanded pitcher Mike Swindell turned in one of his better starting stints of the year in the series finale ... Swindell gave up only four earned runs on eight hits in a career high 6.2 inning effort.

Last Time Out
Following an unusual play in the first inning which allowed TCU to score three early runs, No. 23 Oklahoma was not able to overcome the difference and fell 6-3 Tuesday night at Lupton Stadium. Offensively, Oklahoma (11-7) outhit TCU (12-8) 9-7and was paced by junior first baseman Ole Sheldon who went 3-for-4 effort at the plate and a RBI.

The Horned Frogs scored their first three runs following a bizarre situation in the field. After senior righthander Charlie House relieved starter Charles Benoit (0-1) with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the first inning, House quickly forced the first out at the plate. He then appearred to get out of the inning on a bouncer back to the mound which he fielded and threw home for the force which was then relayed on to first base in time for an apparent double play. As the Sooners cleared the field, the umpire called the runner at home safe and the baserunner at second base continued home to score before OU could return to the field.

Down 3-0, OU climbed back into the game by scoring a pair in the top of the third inning. The first run was scored courteousy of back-to-back doubles by junior centerfielder Jeff Scuderi (1-for-3) and sophomore shortstop Russell Raley (1-for-5). Sheldon helped plate the second run of the inning as he drove in Raley with a single to right field to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Horned Frogs.

TCU answered with three more runs in the bottom of the third inning to extend its lead to 6-2. Rightfielder J.J. Estrada nailed a bases loaded single down the right field line to plate two runs. While attempting to get the final out of the inning on a run down between first and second base, the runner at third base took advantage of the situation and raced home for the third run. Oklahoma did eventually record the third out on the run down to get out of the inning.

The Sooners scratched back with a run in the sixth inning to cut the Horned Frogs lead to 6-3. with junior third baseman Matt Bose (0-for-4) standing at second base after reaching on a fielder's choice and stealing second, junior second baseman Brenan Herrera (1-for-3) drove him home with a single to left field.

A quartet of relievers, including House, Ryan Mottern, Mike Swindell and Daniel McCutchen, all turned in solid relief efforts. Mottern and Swindell each tossed two scoreless frames, while McCutchen tagged on a final one in the eighth. House pitched the first three innings after relieving Benoit and allowed only three runs on five hits.

Sooners At The Plate
Oklahoma is batting .275 on the season with 109 runs scored and 94 RBI ... Oklahoma's offense raised its team batting average last week by nine points by hitting .302 as a team at the plate ... The Sooners recorded three double-digit hit efforts in the four-game span, including a season-high 14 hits on Wednesday against Texas-Arlington ... They also put up their best one-week total in power numbers over the last seven days ... The team hit six home runs, eight doubles and two triples ... Senior rightfielder Andrew McGuire accounted for two of the home runs and one each of the triples and doubles ... McGuire's homers were his first two of the season and came over a span of three games ... Juniors Matt Bose and Eric Thornton both hit their second home runs of the year last week, while fellow junior Kyle Bradburry and freshman Chad Lembeck both went deep for their first long balls of their careers ... Lembeck's shot also marked his first career hit, run scored and RBI ... Bose was the team's top hitter last week ... Bose batted .583 (7-for-12) with one run scored and two RBI in three starts ... He missed a start last week versus UTA due to illness ... Bose tied his career high effort in hits in the last two games of the Creighton series with three ... One of his hits on Sunday went deep for his second home run of the season ... Oklahoma posted several team season highs against Texas-Arlington last Wednesday ... The Sooners pounded out a season best 12 runs on a season high 14 hits, including another season best 11 RBI ... The team received some productive pinch hit at bats last week as the Sooner reserves hit a combined .385 over the four games ... Sophomore LaFringe Hayes contributed a RBI-double and drew a walk in two of his pinch hit appearances ... Freshman Aaron Ivey also drove in a run on a ground out, while Lembeck's home run came in a pinch hit situation ... Additionally, sophomore Scott Rooker reached base on a hit-by-pitch and Thornton collected a pinch hit single ... McGuire extended his current hitting streak to six games, tying his career high on Tuesday with a hit at TCU ... He is batting .435 (10-for-23) with six runs scored and six RBI ... Junior first baseman Ole Sheldon tied his career high with three hits on Tuesday at TCU ... It marked the third time this season Sheldon has collected three hits in one game which ties for the teams' honors with sophomore infielder Russell Raley.

Sooners On The Mound
The Oklahoma pitching staff is sporting a 3.97 ERA and has struck out 135 batters while walking 56 ... The staff has not committed a balk since the only one that has occurred all season in the second game of the year ... Oklahoma has three of the top six pitchers in ERA in the Big 12 Conference in senior Mark Roberts and juniors David Purcey and Jarod McAuliff ... No other school in the league has three pitchers listed in the top 15 ... Purcey and Roberts turned in another pair of stellar pitching performances over the weekend ... The duo combined for a sub-1.54 ERA and posted a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 13:1 for the second-straight week ... Freshman Ryan Mottern has emerged as one of the key members out of the bullpen recently ... Mottern has allowed only six hits and one earned run while striking out six and posting a 1.29 ERA in his last three relief appearances ... His 2.53 ERA stands as the second best mark in the Sooner bullpen ... Oklahoma received one of its best relief stints in Tuesday's game at TCU ... Senior righty Charlie House came in and relieved freshman Charles Benoit for the first three innings and gave up only three runs ... Mottern and senior righthander Mike Swindell followed and each pitched a pair of scoreless innings ... Junior righty Daniel McCutchen finished off the game with one final frame of scoreless work.

Baylor Series Times Set
The game times for next weekend's Big 12 Conference baseball series between Oklahoma and Baylor at L. Dale Mitchell Park were announced by the program on Tuesday. The series opener on Fri., March 26, has been set to start at 6:30 p.m. Saturday's contest will follow at 2 p.m., while Sunday's game is scheduled for 1 p.m.

OU's One-Two Punch
The starting pitcher duo of junior David Purcey and senior Mark Roberts is providing Oklahoma with two powerful knockout punches to opposing teams. The pair, which is ranked third and sixth, respectively, in the Big 12 Conference in ERA, has registered some impressive starts through the Sooners' first 17 games. OU is a combined 8-2 when Purcey and Roberts start.

Both pitchers are making it tough on opposing batters in similar fashions. In addition to their low ERAs, both pitchers rank among the league's best in strikeouts and innings pitched. Roberts ranks third in strikeouts and seventh in innings pitched, while Purcey trails not too far behind in a tie for fifth in strikeouts and eighth in innings pitched. Purcey is also tied for the conference's top honors in best opponent batting average.

In their last three starts, both pitchers have not allowed more than one earned run and are combining for a strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than 4:1.

Mac Attack
Senior rightfielder Andrew McGuire has not let up with his bat since the season began. Since opening the season with a career high six-game hitting streak, McGuire has not gone hitless for more than one game and his offensive impact is being felt by the team as well as in the Big 12 Conference.

By taking over the team lead in hitting with a solid .467 at the plate last week, McGuire also raised his standing in the conference into a tie for the ninth best average. He also ranks in the top 10 in the league in several other offensive categories including first in on-base percentage, tied for eighth in stolen bases and 10th in slugging percentage.

Last week, McGuire hit two home runs in three games, his first two of the season, and also scored six runs and drove in six more. He collected at least one hit in every game to extend his current hitting streak to six games, tying his career and season best.

Breaking Out
Following a brief slump which occurred during the first month of the season, junior designated hitter Eric Thornton has broken out of the funk and continued to raise his batting average over the last two weeks.

During a six-game stretch which included the Southeast Missouri State series and the Sooners' trip to the Kia Baseball Bash in California, Thornton struggled through an 0-for-15 slump. Over the last two weeks, Thornton has broken out of his hitless streak and raised his average over 100 points by batting .400 (10-for-25) with three runs scored and seven RBI over the last eight games. His slugging percentage during that span also rose over 200 points as he registered a .720 average with one double, two triples and one home run.

His effort has been aided by striking out less at the plate. Thornton fanned 10 times during the first 10 games compared to striking out only four times over the last seven contests.

Rohlinger Returns
In a much-anticipated debut, sophomore infielder Ryan Rohlinger returned from injury and started in Sunday's game against Creighton. Rohlinger, who fractured his right forearm less than a week before the season opener, went 1-for-4 at the plate against the Bluejays and scored a run. Playing with protective padding during the game, the usual sure-handed infielder committed two errors, one throwing and the other coming on a controversial double play attempt.

Projected to be the Sooners' starting shortstop heading into the season, the 2003 JUCO All-American started at second base during the game, but is expected to eventually move over to shortstop as his recovery continues.

Roberts On A Roll
Senior starting pitcher Mark Roberts has jumped out to an impressive start in his final campaign. Roberts leads the Sooner staff in victories with a 4-1 record after winning his fourth-straight decision on Sunday. During the four game stretch, the righthander has recorded a 1.29 ERA while allowing only 23 hits and striking out 30 batters in 28 innings of work. Opponents are hitting just .215 against him.

In his latest outing against Creighton on Saturday, the Owasso, Okla., native continued to lower his season ERA by nine more points by allowing only one run in seven innings pitched. He faced the minimum in five of the frames and allowed a season low three hits while not issuing any walks. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts, which also established a season best and extended his streak of fanning at least eight batters to three weeks.

His season numbers rank him as one of the top pitchers in the Big 12 Conference. Roberts currently ranks tied for second in the league in wins, third in strikeouts, sixth in ERA and seventh in innings pitched.

Tough On The Competition
With a recent 2-1 series victory over UC-Riverside, Oklahoma improved its season mark to 5-1 against teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament last year. The record also includes victories over nationally-ranked foes Cal State Fullerton, Arizona State and Georgia Tech.

OU is slated to face seven more teams this season that advanced to regionals last year including Texas, Oral Roberts, Baylor, Missouri, Texas A&M, Wichita State and Nebraska.

Chart Climbers
A pair of Oklahoma hurlers, senior Mark Roberts and junior Jarod McAuliff, have a chance to continue to leave lasting marks on the Oklahoma program. Both pitchers will have the opportunity this season to improve their standings on several of the school's career pitching charts.

Roberts, a four-year veteran on the squad, entered the season in 10th place on the all-time appearances list and moved into a tie for seventh place with his 67th outing on Saturday. Serving in both starting and relief roles during his first three seasons, the Owasso, Okla., native is averaging 20.7 appearances a season which puts him on pace to break the career mark of 83 established by Evan Greusel from 1999-2002.

Roberts also broke into the school's top 10 in career strikeouts this season and moved up two places into sole possession of seventh with 239 for his career. He has also quietly moved into fifth place on OU's all-time innings pitched list with 277.1, needing only 43.2 more innings to take the lead.

McAuliff made his mark on the school record books last year and sits primed to continue his assault on the career charts with another standout season. With 12 outings to his credit this year to give him 71 for his career, McAuliff continued to move up the chart over the last week into the fourth spot on the list with 71 for his career. He needs just 13 more outings to capture the record which is held by former Sooner Evan Greusel (1999-2002).

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Red River Rivalry Opens Big 12 Conference Play For The Sooners

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors