2011 Journey Begins Friday at Home

Feb. 17, 2011

No. 5 OU (0-0) vs. William and Mary (0-0)
Game 01	Friday, Feb. 18 (3 p.m.) vs. William and Mary
Game 02	Saturday, Feb. 19 (12 p.m.) vs. William and Mary
Game 03	Saturday, Feb. 19 (3 p.m.) vs. William and Mary
Game 04	Sunday, Feb. 20 (11:30 a.m.) vs. William and Mary
Location	Norman, Okla. \| L. Dale Mitchell Park
Tickets/Promos	$8 and $12 \| Thermal Mugs, posters and Hoops & Hardball
Radio	Sooner Sports Network \| KREF 1400 AM
TV	none
Webcast	All-Access on SoonerSports.com
Live Stats	SoonersSports.com
Game Information	Game Notes \| 2011 Media Guide \| Baseball Blog \| Twitter

SERIES PREVIEW
• No. 5 Oklahoma opens 2011 at home with a four-game series vs. William and Mary held Feb. 18-20 at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
• Friday's home opener at 3 p.m. marks the second time OU has began a season in Norman in the Sunny Golloway era (2009).
• OU is ranked No. 5 by Baseball America and the NCBWA. The Sooners are No. 6 by Collegiate Baseball and USA Today/Coaches.
• The Sooners return seven position starters from the 2010 squad that finished 50-18 and advanced to the program's 10th CWS.
• William and Mary returns 12 letterwinners from the 2010 team that was 27-24 overall and eighth in the Colonial Athletic Assoc.
• W&M Rotation: Game 1 - Matt Davenport, RHP; Game 2 - Logan Billbrough - RHP; Game 3 - TBA; Game 4 - Brett Koehler, RHP.
• Davenport, a junior and preseason All-American, was 8-2 last year with a 1.96 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 96.1 innings pitched.

OU ROTATION
• No. 1 RHP Michael Rocha (2010: 8-2, 3.53 ERA, 22 BB, 55 SO)
• No. 2 RHP Bobby Shore (2010: 10-5, 4.12 ERA, 36 BB, 77 SO)
• No. 3 RHP Burch Smith (junior college transfer)
• No. 4 LHP Dillon Overton (true freshman)

THE SERIES
• Friday's season opener is the first meeting between Oklahoma and William and Mary.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
• The OU radio broadcast with play-by-play announcer Chuck Kelly and Sooner letterwinner Ross Hubbard (2009-2010) on color can be heard over the air on the Sooner Sports Network (KREF 1400 AM in Norman/OKC) and online at SoonerSports.com. The duo will deliver a 30-minute pregame show and follow up with postgame interviews.
• Live stats are available on the baseball schedule page along with a webcast on OU All-Access, SoonerSports.com's premium site.

NEXT WEEK
• Oklahoma continues the nine-game home stand with a two-game midweek series against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Sooners and Lions will kick things off on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. and conclude the set on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 3 p.m.
• The Sooners close out the home stand over the weekend in a three-game series with Oakland University (Feb. 25-27).

PLAYER TO WATCH
TYLER OGLE
Junior | C | 6-0 | 175 | R/R | San Antonio, Texas - Canyon H.S.
Tyler Ogle finished the 2010 season on a nine-game hitting streak. Ogle led OU in the postseason after hitting safely in all nine NCAA tournament games. He batted .452 in that streak with 14 hits and 10 RBIs (four homers). In the College World Series, Ogle again led the way with five base knocks and four RBIs.
2010 Season Stats: .331, 11 HR, 46 RBI

PRESEASON LINKS
Below are some links to help fans learn more about the 2011 Sooners from SoonerSports.com.
Media Day
Meet the Sooners and 2010 Highlight Video

Season Preview Part I
Season Preview Part II
Q&A session with Coach Golloway

OU NO. 5 IN PRESEASON POLLS
The Sooners were tabbed No. 5 in Baseball America's preseason top 25 poll. Oklahoma was also ranked No. 5 in the preseason by the NCBWA. The Sooners have been ranked in the top 10 by Baseball America, at some point in the season, in each of the last three years. Only the 1984-1987 Sooners can claim a better streak among the nation's top 10 in program history. The 2011 preseason ranking is the highest for OU since 1995 when it was coming off the program's second National Championship and entered the season as Baseball America's No. 3 team in the nation.

Polls: BA | USA | CB | NCBWA

SOONERS FAVORED TO WIN BIG 12 REGULAR SEASON
For the first time since 1995, Oklahoma is the preseason favorite to claim the Big 12 baseball regular season championship heading into the 2011 season, in a vote of the league's head coaches.

In 2010, the Sooners made their 10th College World Series appearance and first trip to Omaha since 1995. It marks the first time since 1995 that OU was selected as the top pick in the preseason poll. The Sooners have twice been picked No. 2 in the Big 12 preseason poll (1999 and 2001) with the highest prediction under Golloway coming in 2010 (fourth). In 1995, OU was the No. 1 team headed into the Big Eight season after winning the program's second National Chamionship the previous year.

WHO's BACK
The Sooners return seven position starters and two weekend starting pitchers from last year's College World Series team that won 50 games for the fifth time in program history. Included in that bunch is 2010 All-American Garrett Buechele at third base, 2010 Freshman All-American Max White at second base and 2009 All-American Ryan Duke (closer). OU welcomes back all but 14 of the 105 home runs hit last year and 32 of the 50 wins registered by the pitching staff.

OU IN SEASON OPENERS
Since 1962, the OU baseball program is 37-12 in season openers. (3-2 under Golloway). The Sooners will be opening up a campaign at home for the eighth time since the Big 12 formed in 1997. From 1984 till 2003, the Sooners won 20 consecutive season openers. OU's 23-4 record since 1984 has been made possible by run support. The Sooners have outscored the opposition 273-123, scoring in double digits on 12 occasions while averaging more than 10 runs a game.

Since 1962, the Sooners are 21-1 in season openers played in Norman and are currently riding a 19-game winning streak. The only loss on record during a season opener at home was in 1981, a 6-5 loss to Southeastern State.

HOME OPENERS
Since 1962, OU is 46-4 in home openers and has won 30 straight, including a 6-0 mark under head coach Sunny Golloway. The last lost came in 1981 against Southeastern State (L, 5-6). During OU's six openers under Golloway, the offense has outscored the opposition 47-12.

50 WINS
Oklahoma finished with 50 wins on the season, the most since winning the program's second national title in 1994. The Sooners were 50-17 that year and also eclipsed that total in 1985 (55), 1976 (62) and 1975 (52). The 1985 campaign is the only time OU has won 50 games and not advanced to the CWS.

POWER BATS
The Sooners hit 105 home runs in 2010, the second most in program history behind the 114 hit in 1998 and the fifth highest total in DI this season . OU hit 91 last year and lost five starters off that team. The 196 combined homers in 2009 and 2010 is the most in back-to-back seasons in Norman. In addition, five Sooners finished with 10 or more homers (Garrett Buechele - 17, Cam Seitzer - 16, Max White - 15, Tyler Ogle - 11 and Cody Reine - 10) for the first time since 1998.

BALANCED OFFENSE
The Sooners displayed a balanced offensive attack throughout last season with 105 home runs and 69 sacrifice bunts. OU finished 2010 ranked seventh nationally in sacrifice bunts and 26 of the hitters on the 27-man roster have at least one sacrifice bunt. Chris Ellison leads that group with 15, a total that ranks eighth nationally.

BREAKDOWN OF 2011 SCHEDULE
- 31 home games, including nine contests to begin slate
- First Bedlam game in Norman since 1996 (April 5)
- Bedlam Series in Tulsa and OKC (April 15-17)
- 10 opponents from 2010 NCAA tournament (23 games)
- Five foes with 40-plus wins a year ago
- Two 2010 CWS participants (Arizona State & TCU)
- Two other Super Regional hosts (Texas and Arkansas)
- Home Big 12 series with TAMU, NU, TTU and KU
- First time opponents in William & Mary and Oakland

BLAIR, BUECHELE, OGLE & ROCHA NAMED CAPTAINS
Seniors Elliott Blair and Michael Rocha and juniors Garrett Buechele and Tyler Ogle were voted as the 2011 captains by their teammates back in October during the team's annual visit to Willow Springs Boys Ranch in Chandler, Okla. Buechele is is the only two-time captain (2010).

BUECHELE A PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Junior Garrett Buechele was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Collegiate Baseball preseason All-America teams. It marks the first such selection for Buechele, who was tabbed a second team All-American following the Sooners' 2010 postseason run. Buechele led OU in every offensive category en route to the program's 10th CWS appearance and first since 1995. The Arlington, Texas, was selected in the 18th round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers.

He is the second Sooner to be named to a preseason list under head coach Sunny Golloway's watch (Ryan Duke in 2010).

DUKE TIED FOR CAREER SAVES LEAD
Ryan Duke, who is on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year watch list for the second straight year, recorded one save at the 2010 College World Series in OU's opening win over South Carolina and moved into a tie for first place on OU's all-time saves list (below). Duke finished with 12 saves, the nation's 12th best total in 2010 and ranked second in the Big 12. He led the Big 12 in saves with 16 in 2009 (ranked sixth in the nation), the second most in a single season by a Sooner (Jeff Bajenaru - 20, 2000).

Duke is the first Sooner in school history to have 10 or more in two seasons. Below is a look at where he ranks in OU history.

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

EXTRA INNINGS UNDER GOLLOWAY
OU was 3-2 in extra-inning games this season after winning two in the Norman Regional over Oral Roberts and North Carolina. On April 24 at Texas A&M, OU won in 13 innings and the game was the longest in terms of innings in the Sunny Golloway era and the longest for an OU team since May 16, 2002 vs. Oklahoma State. OU is 18-4-1 overall in extra innings since Sunny Golloway took over the helm of the Sooner program at the end of the 2005 season. One of those losses came at Oklahoma State (11 innings) earlier this year. The other losses included South Carolin (June 24, 2010), Arkansas (April 28, 2009) and Mizzou (April 19, 2009). The Sooners tied Nebraska in 2008. OU was 3-1 in 2009 in games played in extra innings.

ONE-RUN GAMES UNDER GOLLOWAY
The Sooners recorded one-run victories in 13 games this year and finished 14-7 in those situations in 2010. The Sooners are 63-26-1 (.705) 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).

BASEBALL ON KREF 1400 AM IN 2011 | PDF of schedule
The 2011 season marks the second with KREF 1400 AM serving as the flagship station of Sooner baseball. The partnership provides expanded coverage for OU fans to listen to 54 regular season games live over the air and extends into postseason play.

Additionally, 23 of the games are set to be carried on the Sooners Sports' Network, enabling fans to listen to OU baseball on the radio state-wide. The state-wide coverage begins on April 1 against Texas Tech and will continue for each of the games in Big 12 play. The network schedule also includes OU's midweek games at home vs. Oklahoma State (April 5) and TCU (April 12).

The entire 56-game regular season schedule will also be broadcast live on the internet via Oklahoma All-Access, OU's premium content site.

2011 TELEVISION SCHEDULE | PDF of schedule
In 2011, 13 baseball games will be televised locally for the 2011 season by Sooner Vision and Sooner Sports Properties. The broadcasts will air via the Sooner Sports Network on Cox Channel 3 in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Local sports personality Toby Rowland from KWTV News 9 (Oklahoma City) will call the play-by-play along with color analyst Kenny Mossman, Oklahoma Associate Athletics Director for Communications.

On top of the local coverage, the Sooners can also be seen nationally for three contests. In the last six years, 69 OU games have been seen on regional or national television, with 20 telecasts in 2010.

Sooner Sports Network-Cox Ch. 3 in OKC/Tulsa)
March 12 - Arkansas Little Rock (2 p.m.)
March 13 - Arkansas Little Rock (1 p.m.)
March 18 - Texas A&M (6:30 p.m.)
March 19 - Texas A&M (2 p.m.)
March 20 - Texas A&M (1 p.m.)
April 3 - Texas Tech (1 p.m.)
April 5 - Oklahoma State (6:30 p.m.)
April 12 - TCU (6:30 p.m.)
April 17 - vs. Oklahoma State (4:05 p.m.)
April 19 - Dallas Baptist (6:30 p.m.)
May 6 - Kansas (6:30 p.m.)
May 8 - Kansas (1 p.m.)
May 15 - New Mexico (1 p.m.)

Fox Sports Southwest
April 30 - at Texas (2 p.m.)
May 7 - Kansas (2 p.m.)

ESPNU
May 1 - at Texas (1 p.m.)

Cowboy Sports Network
April 15 - vs. Oklahoma State (7:35 p.m.)

SOONERS INK 14 FOR 2012 SEASON
Oklahoma baseball head coach Sunny Golloway announced the signing of 14 student athletes as part of the 2012 signing class on Wednesday. The recruits signed National Letters of Intent in the early signing period and are set to join the Sooners next fall.

Overall, 12 of the 14 recruits are rated by Perfect Game Crosschecker as prospects for the 2011 MLB Draft. Four of the signees have already been selected in the draft, including three last season.

Clayton Blackburn | RHP | 6-2 | 210
Edmond, Okla. (Edmond Santa Fe H.S.)

Brian Brightwell | OF/1B | L/L | 6-0 |185
Oklahoma City, Okla. (Putnam City H.S.)

Tony Calhoun | RHP/ INF | R/R | 6-1 | 180
Temecula, Calif. (Howard College)

Garrett Carey | SS | R/R | 6-2 | 210
Hutto, Texas (McClennan C.C.)

Mason Hope | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 185
Broken Arrow, Okla. (Broken Arrow H.S.)

Adrian Houser | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 200
Locust Grove, Okla. (Locust Grove H.S.)

Nick Lee | LHP/ OF | L/L | 6-0 | 190
San Antonio, Texas (Weatherford College)

Hunter Lockwood | C | R/R | 5-11 | 189
Bedford, Texas (Lawrence Dale Bell H.S.)

Damien Magnifico | RHP | R/R | 6-1 | 190
Mesquite, Texas (Howard College)

Austin O'Donnell | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 210
Magnolia, Ark. (Northeast Texas C.C.)

Steven Okert | LHP | L/L | 6-3 | 215
Rowlett, Texas | Grayson County College

Jacob Rhame | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 190
Corinth, Texas (Denton Guyer H.S.)

Nick Sawyer | RHP | R/R | Fr. | 5-10 | 180
Carrollton, Texas (Howard College)

Ty Washington | INF | R/R | 5-10 | 165
Richardson, Texas (Plano East H.S.)