Big 12 Powers Square off in Austin this Weekend

April 28, 2011

No. 10 OU (30-11, 9-7) at No. 4 Texas (31-10, 13-5)
Game 42	Friday, April 29 at 6 p.m.
Game 43	Saturday, April 30 at 11:30 a.m.
Game 44	Sunday, May 1 at 1 p.m.
Location	Austin, Texas \| Disch-Falk Field
Radio	Sooner Sports Network \| KREF 1400 AM
TV	Saturday: Fox Sports Net \| Sunday: ESPNU
Live Stats	SoonersSports.com
Webcast	Friday: TexasSports.com
Game Information	Game Notes \| 2011 Media Guide \| Baseball Blog \| Twitter

WEEKEND PREVIEW
• No. 10 Oklahoma (30-11, 9-7 Big 12) faces a pivotal three-game Big 12 series this weekend at No. 4 Texas (31-10, 13-5).
• Friday's series opener in Austin, Texas is slated for 6 p.m. Saturday is set for 11:30 a.m. and Sunday's finale is at 1 p.m.
• OU is ranked No. 10 by the NCBWA, No. 13 by USA Today/Coaches, No. 14 by Baseball America and No. 15 by Collegiate Baseball.
• The Sooners return seven position starters from the 2010 squad that finished 50-18 and advanced to the program's 10th CWS.
• The Longhorns return 18 letterwinners from the 2010 team that finished 50-13 overall and first in the Big 12 (24-3).
• Texas is eighth in the league in hitting behind OU at .264, led by freshman third baseman Erich Weiss (.384, 2 HR, 29 RBI).
• UT Rotation - Friday: RHP Taylor Jungmann (9-0, 1.00 ERA) | Saturday: RHP Cole Green (3-3, 2.88 ERA) | Sunday: TBA

BROADCAST INFORMATION
• The OU broadcast with Chuck Kelly (play-by-play) and Ross Hubbard (color) can be heard throughout the weekend on the Sooners' Flagship station, KREF 1400 AM and at SoonerSports.com. The pregame show begins 30 minutes prior to first pitch. Fans inside the stadium can hear the OU broadcast on 91.1 FM.
• Saturday's game will be televised by Fox Sports Southwest (Cox Ch. 37/722 in OKC) with Greg Lucas and Jack Lazorko on the call. Sunday's game will be televised on ESPNU (DirecTV Ch. 208/Dish Network Ch. 141) with Carter Blackburn and Morgan Ensberg calling the action.
• Live stats are available on the baseball schedule page and a live webcast for Friday's game can be found on TexasSports.com.

OU ROTATION
No. 1 RHP Michael Rocha 8-1, 1.19 ERA, 11 BB, 61 SO
No. 2 RHP Burch Smith 7-2, 3.75 ERA, 22 BB, 63 SO
No. 3 TBA

PLAYER TO WATCH - GARRETT BUECHELE
In addition to extending his current hitting streak to 10 games in his last outing vs. TCU, Buechele has also driven in at least one run in each of the last seven games. After last weekend's action, Buechele moved into ninth place all-time on OU's career hits list with 244 and into 10th place with 156 career RBIs. Buechele leads the Big 12 in hits (68) and RBI (51) and ranks second with a .395 average.
2011 Season Stats: .395, 7 HR, 51 RBI

OU-TEXAS SERIES
The Sooners won the inaugural Big 12 series in 1997 (2-1) in Austin and followed that up with a three-game sweep in Norman. However, the Longhorns have won the last 12 conference series, including eight straight games (OU's last win: April 5, 2008). Texas leads 33-12 since 1997, but 23 of those games have been decided by three runs or less (UT leads 18-5), including 10 one-run games and three postseason meetings. The series has been decided in game three in 2002, 2004 and 2008.Texas is 11-3 in the series opener (won last eight). OU has won two of the last four series finales. OU's last series win was in 1998 in Norman, while the last series win in Austin in 1997.

April 27, 2011 | Video: OU Ready for Challenge at Texas
The Sooners improved to 30-11 overall Tuesday night with a 7-4 win at No. 7 TCU. OU faces another top 10 challenge this weekend at Texas. The Longhorns (31-10, 13-5) enter the series ranked as high as No. 4 and sit in second place in the Big 12 standings.

The Sooners are ranked as high as No. 10 this week and sit in third place in the conference standings at 9-7 after winning a Big 12 series at home with Nebraska.

View video below from Wednesday's practice from head coach Sunny Golloway, Caleb Bushyhead, Tyler Ogle and Michael Rocha as they discusss the team's recent play and heading to Austin this weekend.

ON DECK
The Sooners travel to Arkansas Little Rock for the final midweek game of the season with the Trojans. Wednesday's game gets underway at 6 p.m. at Dickey Stephens Park, home of the Arkansas Travelers (AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). OU returns to Big 12 play over the weekend and hosts Kansas in a three-game series (May 6-8).

LAST TIME OUT
OU recorded its fourth straight win with a 7-4 decision at No. 7 TCU on Tuesday. The win was the eighth straight in the series for the Sooners over the Horned Frogs. OU also beat TCU, 13-6, at home on April 12.

MISC NOTES
- Sunny Golloway recorded his 250th career win at OU on April 26 at TCU. Golloway is fourth on OU's career wins list.
- After 41 games, OU leads the Big 12 in batting average (.334), and ranks third in earned run average (3.12) and sixth in fielding percentage (.972).
- OU leads the Big 12 with 32 home runs, almost double the total recorded by three teams in the conference (page 5).
- OU leads the conference with 317 runs, the next closest team, Texas Tech, has scored 251 runs. The Sooners lead the Big 12 in hits with 473 and Oklahoma St. is second with 427.
- The Sooner offense has outscored the opposition 317-158.
- OU has outscored opponents 48-21, 51-28, 42-14 and 49-19 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 in hits (68, sixth in the nation) and RBI (51, 12th in the nation) and also ranks in second in batting average (.395). He also is in the top five of the league in homers (7) , total bases (97), slugging percentage (.564) and on-base percentage (.451).
- Seven freshmen have seen playing time and 10 newcomers overall have taken the field.
- In 23 of the Sooners' 41 starts, the hurlers have lasted at least five innings, including five complete games by Jordan John, Bobby Shore and Michael Rocha (3). OU owns four of the 17 complete games tossed in 2011.
- 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. UAPB.
- 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 eight of 10 starts with five or more strikeouts in nine outings ... He ranks second in the Big 12 with eight wins (5th nationally) and innings pitched (75.1) and third with a 1.19 ERA (12th nationally).

SCORING FIRST
OU is 20-4 when scoring first this season, including a 9-3 mark in Big 12 play. The Sooners have scored first in 10 of the last 15 contests with a 10-5 record in that span.

THE BIG INNING
OU has hit through the batting order 18 times in 41 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 3-4 this season in games decided by one run, including three losses in the last five outings. OU was 14-7 in those situations in 2010 and the Sooners are 66-29-1 (.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.

COMPLETE GAMES
Oklahoma has the most complete games in a season since the 2006 team had five. Michael Rocha's three complete games, which leads the Big 12 Conference, is the most by a Sooner since Daniel McCutchen recorded all five of the complete games in 2006. Overall, OU had two last season, three in 2009, one in 2008 (Rocha) and one in 2007.

DOUBLE DIGITS
The Sooners recorded 10 or more hits in 25 games this season with a 21-4 mark (42 in 2010 with a 38-4 record), including 14 out of the last 17 and are averaging 11.5 hits per game this season.

OU is averaging 7.7 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 and NCBWA National 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, after blanking SDSU 4-0 on March 3, and posted three in 2010. OU has also limited opponents to one run in nine games. The most shutouts recorded in a single season during the Sunny Golloway era is five, posted in 2009, 2007 and 2006.

TIME FOR A RALLY
In the 30 victories in 2011, the Sooners have come from behind in 13 of those contests. Of Sunny Golloway's 250 wins at OU, 127 (.508) have been in come-from-behind fashion, including 22 last year.

TOUGH SCHEDULE
The Sooners are 6-6 in games against Top 25 teams this year after defeating then-No. 14 Cal (W, 5-3), then-No. 11 Texas A&M (W, 1-0),No. 23 Oklahoma State (W, 8-3), No. 9/7 TCU (13-6/7-4) and No. 18 Oklahoma State. OU also dropped two games to Texas A&M and Oklahoma State and two to then-No. 9 Arizona State. OU is set to still face Texas (three games) this season.

Overall, OU faces 10 opponents from 2010 NCAA tournament (23 games) in 2011, including five foes with 40-plus wins a year ago. OU also will face two 2010 CWS participants (Ari zona State & TCU) and two Super Regional hosts (Texas and Arkansas).

16-0 RECORD START
The 16-0 start is the best for a Sooner club, topping the 12 straight wins to begin the 1998 season. Other double-digit undefeated streaks to begin a season include 1984 (11-0) and 1974 (10-0). It marks the longest undefeated streak in the Big 12 era (since 1997), tied with the 2005 Texas team.

The 16-game winning streak is also the best under head coach Sunny Golloway and the sixth double-digit streak in his tenure (13 in 2006, 11 in 2007, 11 in 2008, 10 in 2009 and 10 in 2010). Its also the 25th in program history and longest since 1985 (19).

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.

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.

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 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 - 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.)