Baseball Travels North for Nebraska Series

No. 12 Oklahoma (18-2) at Nebraska (11-9)
Location	Lincoln, Neb. \| Hawks Field
Game 21	Friday, March 26 - 6:35 p.m.
Game 22	Saturday, March 27 - 2:05 p.m.
Game 23	Sunday, March 28 - 1:05 p.m.
Radio	Sooner Sports Network - KREF 1400 AM
Internet Audio	FREE on SoonersSports.com
Live Stats	SoonersSports.com
Webcast	Huskers.com
Game Information	Game Notes \| 2010 Media Guide \| Baseball Blog \| Twitter

WEEKEND PREVIEW
• No. 12 Oklahoma (18-2) has won 13 of their last 14 games and returns to the road for a three-game series at Nebraska (11-9, 1-2) this weekend ... The Huskers are a perfect 7-0 at home after topping Northern Colorado in a two-game set earlier this week ... OU is 9-2 away from home this year and this series marks the fourth road trip in the first six weekends of the season.

• OU sits atop the Big 12 standings and is off to its best start under Sunny Golloway and best since 1985. The Sooners are ranked as high as No. 12 this week by the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll.

• Nebraska returns 18 letterwinners from the 2009 team that was 25-28-1 overall (8-19, 10th in Big 12) ... The Huskers opened Big 12 play last weekend in Austin, Texas and suffered a 2-1 series defeat, including a three-run walk-off homer by Texas on Friday.
Friday – RHP Casey Hauptman (1-2, 2.48) | Saturday – RHP Michael Mariot (2-2, 4.50) | Sunday – RHP Tom Lemke (3-1, 4.50)

BROADCAST INFORMATION
• The OU broadcast with Chuck Kelly calling the play-by-play can be heard all weekend on the Sooners Sports Network (KREF 1400 AM) and free online at SoonerSports.com. A live webcast for the games can be found on Huskers.com (paid site).
• Road Radio: Fans inside the stadium in Lincoln can listen to the OU broadcast on 90.7 FM
• Live stats are available on SoonerSports.com via the baseball schedule page.

SERIES HISTORY
• While OU won last year's series, 2-1, in Norman, the home team has not fared well in recent history ... In the previous six series meetings, the visiting team has come away with at least two victories ... Excluding 2009, the last time the home team won a series between OU and Nebraska was in 2002 in Lincoln ... In 39 all-time Big 12 games, OU and Nebraska have played 22 of those games decided by three runs or less, including nine of the last 13 meetings ... In those close contests, NU holds a 11-10-1 edge.

PLAYER TO WATCH - CHRIS ELLISON
The sophomore has hit safely in a career-best seven straight games and has driven in 10 runs in that span. He is hitting .345 (10-for-29) during the streak with two home runs and five stolen bases. Ellison has already equaled his homer total from his freshman season and is seven RBIs shy of tying the 2009 mark. In addition, the speedy outfielder has doubled his stolen base total from a year ago with eight in 2010.

2010 Season Stats: .339, 3 HR, 15 RBI

OU ROTATION
No. 1 Zach Neal (RHP) 2-0, 6.56, 23.1 IP, 7 BB, 25 SO
No. 2 Bobby Shore (RHP) 3-0, 2.19, 24.2, 6 BB, 25 SO
No. 3 TBA

A LOOK BACK AT THE 2009 OU-NEBRASKA SERIES
The Sooners last met the Huskers in a three-game series in 2009 in Norman. The two split the first two games of the series, both decided by three runs or less (OU, 12-9; NU, 11-9), while the Sooners cruised 16-6 in the finale. Turn to page 11 for OU's career stats versus NU and results since 1964.

UP NEXT
OU returns home to begin a five-game home stand and a stretch that will feature eight of the next nine played at L. Dale Mitchell Park. It begins with a two-game series on March 30-31 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and continues April 1-3 against No. 8 Texas.

LAST TIME OUT
The Sooners posted a 3-0 record in last week's action at home that was shortened due to a winter storm that hit Norman. OU started the week with a two-game sweep of visiting UMass on Tuesday and Wednesday and then won its third straight game with a 7-6 victory over Baylor in the Big 12 opener.

QUICK HITS
- OU ranks third in the Big 12 in batting (.328) and ERA (3.29).
- The OU bullpen is 9-0 with eight saves on the season with a 1.86 ERA with 97 Ks in 77.1 IP.
- The Sooners have homered in 13 straight contests with 17 in that span, including four multiple-homer games.
- OU has stolen at least one base in 11 of the last 12 games. The Sooners stole eight bases on March 13 vs. TAMUCC, the most in a game since OU had eight on Feb. 12, 2006 versus Western Illinois.
- Garrett Buechele ranks in the Big 12's top 10 in eight offensive categories.
- Buechele (5) and Cameron Seitzer (5) are tied for second in the Big 12 lead in homers in the Big 12. Both have surpassed their 2009 totals.
- Ryan Duke is a perfect 7-for-7 in save situations this year and leads the nation in that category.
- Jeremy Erben leads the Big 12 with five wins and a 0.39 ERA, both marks rank second nationally. Erben entered 2010 with a career 1-4 record.
- Buechele (3B) and Caleb Bushyhead (SS) are the only Sooners to start every game.
- Bushyhead registered one hit in 22 games last season and already has 27 hits after 20 games in 2010. Bushyhead ranks second on OU with nine multiple-hit games.
- Oklahoma has started 18 different players in the lineup after Jack Mayfield made his first start vs. UCLA.
- Buechele, Erben, Ross Hubbard and Chris Ellison were named to the Whataburger Collegiate Classic all-tournament team.

ERBEN ON PITCHER WATCH LIST
Jeremy Erben is one of seven hurlers from the Big 12 named to the Pitcher of the Year watch list on March 23 as presented by the College Baseball Foundation. This is the second year for the award and it will be presented in Lubbock, Texas, on July 2 as part of the College Baseball Awards Show. He leads the Big 12 in wins (5) and ERA (0.39) and was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week for games played through March 7.

BIG 12 ROAD OPENERS
The Sooners have lost five straight Big 12 road openers, but have bounced back to win two of those series. OU's last win in a Big 12 road opener was in 2004 at Kansas. The Sooners are 2-11 all-time in Big 12 openers and have series victories in five of the 13 sets.

WINNING STREAKS
The 10-game winning streak from Feb. 28-March 13 marked the fifth time under OU Head Coach Sunny Golloway that the Sooners have won 10 or more consecutive games and the 26th in program history.

BEST START SINCE 1985
After 20 games, OU is off to its best start under head coach Sunny Golloway. The last time the Sooners started a season with a 18-2 record was in 1985. That team went 23-1 before suffering its second loss of the season.

LATE-INNING PRODUCTION
OU has scored 65 of its 159 runs, or 41 percent, in the sixth inning and later. In addition, the Sooners have outscored the opposition, 35-7, in the eighth and ninth innings combined, which includes seven home runs.

SCORING FIRST
OU has scored first in seven of the last 12 games and in 11 overall. OU has a 9-2 record in those contests. The opposition has tallied the game's first run in nine games, but OU is 9-0.

ONE-RUN GAMES
The Sooners have recorded one-run victories in five of the last 13 games. OU is 5-1 in those situations this year and the Sooners are 55-20-1 (.730) under head coach Sunny Golloway. The Sooners' skipper entered 2010 with the best winning percentage among Big 12 coaches over the last five years (.721).

BULLPEN IN LAST 13 GAMES
The Sooner bullpen combined to throw 48.2 innings in the last 13 games with a 1.29 ERA. In that span, the relievers have allowed seven earned runs off 32 hits and 17 walks, while striking out 61 hitters. Jeremy Erben recorded three wins and a save in that span while Ryan Duke posted four saves.

THE BIG INNING
OU has hit through the batting order already six times this season, twice in game two of the SDSU series, and once each against Richmond, Mississippi State, Texas A&M-CC and UMass (GM2). OU accomplished the feat on 23 occasions last year. That 2009 team also scored five or more runs in 22 different frames. In 2010, OU has scored five or more runs in six different frames, twice in game two of the SDSU series and once versus Valparaiso, Western Illinois, Mississippi State and Baylor.

TIME FOR A RALLY
The Sooners have come from behind to win nine of the 20 games this season. Of Sunny Golloway's 188 wins at OU, 95 (.505) have been in come-from-behind fashion, including 22 last year.

DOUBLE DIGITS
The Sooners have recorded 10 or more hits in 13 of the first 20 games of the season, including a season-high 19 vs. Mississippi State. OU is averaging 11.25 hits per game despite losing five regular starters from last season's club. The Sooners are also averaging 7.95 runs per game with six games with 10 or more scores, including the 17 posted in game two of the San Diego State series, the most since exploding for 29 runs on March 22, 2009 at Kansas State. OU leads the Big 12 with 27 homers and 225 hits.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Prior to the season, OU Head Coach Sunny Golloway discussed the fact that the 2010 team was the deepest he has tutored in 13 years as a DI head coach. During the opening weekend, Golloway used all 33 players that traveled to San Diego, including 15 newcomers. OU used 30 in week two at the Jacksonville Invitational. Only two players on the 2010 35-man roster have not seen action (Jordan John and Michael Whitney).

DUKE MOVING UP SAVES LIST
Ryan Duke recorded two saves on the opening weekend to move into sole possession of second place on OU's all-time saves list (below). Duke led the Big 12 in saves with 16 last year (ranked sixth in the nation), the second most in a single season by a Sooner (Jeff Bajenaru - 20, 2000).

He currently leads the Big 12 lead in 2010 with seven saves.

1. 28 - Jeff Bajenaru, 1999-00
2. 23 - Ryan Duke, 2008-present

DRAFTED SOONERS
Eight current Sooners have been drafted in their careers (third most in Big 12 this season), including four newcomers on the 2010 squad that were selected in 2009. (Danny Black, Ryan Gibson, Chad Kettler and Bobby Shore). Last season, OU led all Big 12 programs with nine players selected off the 2009 roster. Below is a look at the eight Sooners and when and where they were drafted:

Danny Black 2009 - New York Yankees - 42nd Rd.
Jason Chowning 2007 - New York Yankees - 43rd Rd.
Jeremy Erben 2006 - Cincinnati Reds - 41st Rd.
Ryan Gibson 2009 - Florida Marlins - 48th Rd.
Kaleb Herren 2008 - Milwaukee Brewers - 44th Rd.
Chad Kettler 2009 - Los Angeles Dodgers - 24th Rd.
J.R. Robinson 2008 - Toronto Blue Jays - 31st Rd.
Bobby Shore 2009 - Baltimore Orioles - 40th Rd.
Michael Whitney 2005 - Baltimore Orioles - 18th Rd.

BASEBALL ON KREF 1400 AM IN 2010 | RADIO SCHEDULE (PDF)
The 2010 season marks the first with KREF 1400 AM serving as the flagship station of Sooner baseball and the new partnership provides expanded coverage for OU fans to listen to 50-plus regular season games over the air. Additionally, 22 of the Big 12 games are set to be carried on the Sooners Sports' Network, enabling fans to listen to OU baseball on various stations across the state starting on April 1, nearly double the amount from previous seasons.

The entire 56-game regular season schedule will be broadcast live for free on SoonerSports.com.

SOONER SPORTS NETWORK TO TELEVISE 20 OU GAMES | TV SCHEDULE (PDF)
The University of Oklahoma will locally televise 20 home baseball games for the 2010 season. The broadcasts will air via the Sooner Sports Network on Cox Channel 7 in Oklahoma City and Cox Channel 3 in Tulsa. The games will be simulcast with the OU radio broadcast on the Sooner Sports Network with Chuck Kelly calling the play-by-play and DeWayne Vaughn providing the color analysis. The first game can be seen on Wednesday, March 10 against Houston Baptist at 3 p.m.

OU FOURTH IN BIG 12 COACHES' POLL | Big 12 Coaches' Poll | Feb. 16 Media Teleconference
The No. 22 Oklahoma baseball team was picked fourth in the 2010 Big 12 Coaches' preseason poll released on Feb. 16. The Sooners' projected finish is the highest under head coach Sunny Golloway and the best since a third-place vote in 2003.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Baseball Travels North for Nebraska Series

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