OU Begins Five-Game Home Stand Tuesday

April 18, 2011

No. 11 OU (26-10) vs. Dallas Baptist (22-12) and Bacone (12-31)
Game 37	Tuesday, April 19 (6:30 p.m.) vs. DBU
Game 38	Wednesday, April 20 (6:30 p.m.) vs. Bacone
Location	Norman, Okla. \| L. Dale Mitchell Park
Tickets/Promos	$8 and $12 \| $.50 hot dogs and cokes and free admission
Radio	Sooner Sports Network \| KREF 1400 AM
TV	(SSN) - Cox Ch. 3 (703 HD) in OKC and Tulsa - Tuesday
Webcast	All-Access on SoonerSports.com - Tuesday
Live Stats	SoonersSports.com
Game Information	Game Notes \| 2011 Media Guide \| Baseball Blog \| Twitter

MIDWEEK PREVIEW
• No. 11 Oklahoma (26-10) begins a five-game home stand on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. against Dallas Baptist (22-12).
• On Wednesday, the Sooners welcome Bacone (12-31) at 6:30 p.m. in a makeup game scheduled after the rain out at Arkansas.
• OU is ranked No. 11 by the NCBWA, No. 15 by USA Today/Coaches, No. 16 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 17 by Baseball America.
• The Sooners return seven position starters from the 2010 squad that finished 50-18 and advanced to the program's 10th CWS.
• Dallas Baptist returns 18 letterwinners from the 2010 team that finished 28-27 overall and is an independent program.
• DBU has posted midweek victories over Oklahoma State, Rice and TCU and lost to Big 12 foes Texas and Texas Tech.
• Patriots' starting pitcher: RHP Brandon Williamson (6-1, 3.19 ERA)

BROADCAST INFORMATION
• The OU broadcast with Chuck Kelly (play-by-play) and Ross Hubbard (color) can be heard Tuesday and Wednesday on the Sooners' Flagship station, KREF 1400 AM and at SoonerSports.com.
• Tuesday's game will also be televised by the Sooner Sports Network (Cox Ch. 3 and in HD on 703 in OKC and Tulsa) with Toby Rowland (play-by-play) and Kenny Mossman (color).
• Live stats are available on the baseball schedule page and a live webcast can be found on OU All-Access (Tuesday only).

OU STARTERS
TBA

PLAYER TO WATCH - RICKY EISENBERG
Senior Ricky Eisenberg extended his hitting streak to a career-high seven games with a single in the second inning of Sunday's game against No. 18 Oklahoma State. He tied a career high with three base knocks in that game, the second multi-hit game of the current hitting streak.
2011 Season Stats: .403, 0 HR, 9 RBI

PROMOS and TICKETS
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Theme: $.50 Tuesday
Promotion: $.50 Hot Dogs & Cokes (while supplies last)
Giveaway: "K" cards
One lucky fan will win a Sony mega pixel camera

Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Theme: Fan Appreciation Day
Promotion: Free admission to all fans
Giveaway: One lucky fan will win a team signed helmet

Single game tickets are on sale online and by calling 800-456-GoOU.

OU-DBU SERIES
The Sooners have won 21 of the 23 meetings in the series with the Patriots, including six straight wins and two victories in 2010 (W, 8-4 in Dallas and 14-0 in Norman). The two have met in seven of the last eight years. DBU's two wins both came in Norman (9-3 in 2006 and 7-5 in 2004). OU won 14 straight games prior to the 2004 loss. Eight of the 23 games have been decided by three runs or less (OU, 7-1), including two one-run games where OU is 2-0.

ON DECK
The Sooners return to Big 12 play over the weekend against Nebraska in a three-game conference series. The action starts on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Game two is slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday while the series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
No. 8 Oklahoma went 2-2 last week against ranked competition, starting with a 13-6 convincing win over No. 9 TCU ... Over the weekend, OU dropped two games in a best-of-three series against Bedlam rival No. 18 Oklahoma State ... Both losses came in walk-off fashion as OSU used a solo homer in the ninth to take a 1-0 lead in the series on Friday and then a connected on a walk-off single in the 10th inning on Sunday to clinch the first series victory over OU since 2008 ... The Sooners won the middle game, 7-5, behind a two-homer game by Tyler Ogle.

MISC NOTES
- After 36 games, OU leads the Big 12 in batting average (.331), and ranks fourth in earned run average (3.24) and sixth in fielding percentage (.973).
- OU leads the Big 12 with 31 home runs, almost double the total recorded by six teams in the conference (page 5).
- OU leads the conference with 290 runs, the next closest team, Texas Tech, has scored 232 runs. The Sooners lead the Big 12 in hits with 415 and OSU is second with 386.
- The Sooner offense has outscored the opposition 290-146.
- OU has outscored opponents 41-17, 45-27, 41-13 and 46-19 in the third, fifth, sixth and eighth innings, respectively.
- Garrett Buechele, the Big 12 Player of the Week on Feb. 21 and 28, leads the Big 12 with 44 RBIs and ranks second with a .391 batting average and 59 hits ... He also ranks third with 86 total bases and seven homers.
- In 21 of the Sooners' 36 starts, the hurlers have lasted at least five innings, including four complete games by Jordan John, Bobby Shore and Michael Rocha (2). OU owns four of the 13 complete games tossed in 2011.
- Seven freshmen have seen playing time and 10 newcomers overall have taken the field.
- Michael Rocha and the Sooner bullpen limited the Tribe to one hit on Feb.18, the fewest allowed since OU's last no-hitter, a combined effort on March 9, 2005 vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff
- Rocha struck out 13 batters in the March 18 shutout vs. Texas A&M, the most by a Sooner since Daniel McCutchen also sat down 13 Aggies on April 7, 2006.
- Rocha, a two-time 2011 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, has lasted at least seven innings in seven of nine starts with five or more strikeouts in eight outings. Rocha has also limited the opposition to three hits or less in four of his starts ... He leads the Big 12 with a 1.09 ERA (seventh nationally) and two complete games ... He also ranks second with 66.1
innings pitched and is third with seven wins.

SCORING FIRST
OU is 17-4 when scoring first this season, including a 6-3 mark in Big 12 play. The Sooners have scored first in seven of the last 10 contests with a 6-4 record.

THE BIG INNING
OU has hit through the batting order 17 times in 36 games. OU had 23 such occasions in 2010. In addition, the Sooners have plated five or more runs in nine different innings, including 14 in the eighth inning on Feb. 22 vs. UAPB. The 14 runs tied an OU record for most scored in an inning with the 1998 Sooners that plated 14 in one frame against Emporia State on Feb. 17.

ONE-RUN GAMES
The Sooners are 3-2 this season in games decided by one run. OU was 14-7 in those situations in 2010 and the Sooners are 66-28-1 (.707) under head coach Sunny Golloway. The Sooners' skipper entered 2011 with the best winning percentage among Big 12 coaches over the last five years in that category.

DOUBLE DIGITS
The Sooners recorded 10 or more hits in 21 games this season with a 18-3 mark (42 in 2010 with a 38-4 record), including 10 out of the last 12 and are averaging 11.5 hits per game this season.

OU is averaging eight runs per game, featuring 14 contests scored in double digits with a 13-1 record. (23 in 2010 with 22-1 record). OU scored 27 in game one of the UAPB series, the most since exploding for 29 runs on March 22, 2009 at Kansas State.

OGLE COLLECTS FIRST BIG 12 WEEKLY HONOR
Junior Tyler Ogle was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on April 18 after collecting 11 hits (3 HR) and 11 RBI in four games played.

It was a career first honor for Ogle and also represents the sixth time a Sooner has been recognized by the Big 12 this season, a league best. In 2011, Garrett Buechele has twice been named the player of the week (Feb. 21 and 28), Michael Rocha was tabbed the pitcher of the week twice (March 7 and April 4) and Jordan John was tabbed the newcomer of the week (Feb. 28).

SHUTOUTS
Michael Rocha's 13 strikeouts and Ryan Duke's first save of 2011 led OU to a 1-0 shutout over then-No. 11 Texas A&M on March 18. The Sooners have two shutouts in the books, also blanked SDSU 4-0 on March 3, after posting three in 2010. OU has also limited opponents to one run in eight games. The most shutouts recorded in a single season during the Sunny Golloway era is five, recorded in 2009, 2007 and 2006.

DUKE AND BUSHYHEAD RETURN
Junior shortstop Caleb Bushyhead and senior right-handed pitcher Ryan Duke returned to action against Arkansas-Little Rock. Bushyhead had two hits and two walks in his first start on March 11 after having surgery on his torn ACL (right) in October. On March 12, Ryan Duke made his first relief appearance of 2011 and did not register a save, but recorded his 14th career win.

DUKE IS ALL-TIME SAVES LEADER AT OU
Ryan Duke, who is on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year watch list for the second straight year, recorded his first save of 2011 on March 18 vs. Texas A&M and moved into sole possession of first place on OU's all-time saves list (below).

Duke finished with 12 saves in 2010, the nation's 12th best total, 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). He is the first Sooner in OU history to have 10 or more saves in two seasons.

1. 32 - Ryan Duke (2008-present)
2. 28 - Jeff Bajenaru (1999-00)

OGLE ON JOHNNY BENCH WATCH LIST
For the second straight season, junior catcher Tyler Ogle was named to the Johnny Bench watch list for the 2011 season. Ogle caught in 42 games last year as he hit .331 with 11 homers and 46 RBIs, while recording a .992 fielding percentage and throwing out 11 base stealers. The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission released the Watch List for the 2011 Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award delivered by Papa John's Pizza on March 10.

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).

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 Arizona
March 16 - at Arizona State (8:30 p.m.)

Fox Sports Midwest
March 27 - at Missouri (1 p.m.)

Fox Sports Southwest
April 30 - at Texas (11:30 a.m.)
May 7 - Kansas (2 p.m.)

ESPNU
May 1 - at Texas (1 p.m.)
April 2 - vs. Texas Tech (7 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.)