Sooners Tangle with Wildcats in Manhattan

April 7, 2011

No. 7 OU (23-6, 5-3) at Kansas State (16-11, 2-7)
Game 30	Friday, April 8 (6:30 p.m. CT)
Game 31	Saturday, April 9 (2 p.m. CT)
Game 32	Sunday, April 10 (1 p.m. CT)
Location	Manhattan, Kan. \| Tointon Family Stadium
Radio	Sooner Sports Network \| KREF 1400 AM
TV \| Webcast	none \| kstatesports.com
Live Stats	SoonersSports.com
Game Information	Game Notes \| 2011 Media Guide \| Baseball Blog \| Twitter

WEEKEND PREVIEW
• No. 7 Oklahoma (23-6, 5-3 Big 12) hits the road for the second time in conference play at Kansas State (16-11, 2-7) this weekend.
• Friday's series opener in Manhattan, Kan., is slated for 6:30 p.m. Saturday is set for 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale is at 1 p.m.
• OU is ranked No. 7 by NCBWA, No. 9 by USA Today/Coaches, No. 10 by Baseball America and No. 13 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.
• Kansas State returns 18 letterwinners from the 2010 team that finished 37-22 overall and third in the Big 12 (14-12). KSU advanced to the 2010 NCAA Tournament but did not advance out of the Fayetteville Regional.
• The Wildcats are seventh in the league in hitting at a .271 clip and are led by junior outfielder Nick Martini, who has reached base safely in 86 straight games. The 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year is hitting .354 this season with 18 runs driven in.
• KSU Rotation-Friday: LHP Kyle Hunter (2-2, 3.10) | Saturday: RHP Matt Applegate (3-1, 3.10) | Sunday: RHP Kayvon Bahramzadeh (1-0, 3.90).

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. Air time is 30 minutes prior to first pitch.
• Live stats are available on the baseball schedule page and a live webcast can be found on kstatesports.com.

OU ROTATION
No. 1 RHP Michael Rocha (7-0, 0.97 ERA, 6 BB, 47 SO)
No. 2 RHP Bobby Shore (2-1, 4.75 ERA, 16 BB, 26 SO)
No. 3 RHP Burch Smith (4-2, 4.06 ERA, 10 BB, 45 SO)

OU-KSU SERIES
Oklahoma has won the last nine series meetings with Kansas State after taking two out of three in 2010 in Norman. OU also won two out of three games during the last series in Manhattan, including a school-record 11 homers in a 29-4 rout in the series finale in 2009. In each of the last six series meetings, the finale has decided the outcome of the three-game set. Below is a closer look at the series:

- In Big 12 play, OU is 32-10 overall against KSU.
- The Sooners have won 21 of the last 26 games.
- OU has won every Big 12 series vs. KSU except 2001.
- In Big 12 play, seven of KSU's 10 wins were series openers.
- OU has scored in double digits in 24 of the 42 Big 12 games against KSU..
- OU is 23-8 in one-run games decided with KSU since 1962.
- Since 1997, OU is 6-0 in decisive game threes.

PLAYER TO WATCH - MICHAEL ROCHA
The reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, for the second time this season, Rocha tossed his second complete game of 2011 (third of career) with nine innings of three-hit baseball on Friday against Texas Tech. Rocha improved to 7-0 on the season and leads the nation in victories. He has lasted at least seven innings in all seven starts with five or more strikeouts in each outing.
2011 Season Stats: 7-0, 0.97 ERA, 6 BB, 47 SO

APRIL 6, 2011 | BEDLAM REACTION, KSU PREVIEW
F ollowing the 8-3 Bedlam win on Tuesday night, OU Head Coach Sunny Golloway, freshman left-hander Dillon Overton, and All-American Garrett Buechele talked about the win and preparing for this weekend's series at Kansas State.

View video from yesterday's postgame from Coach Golloway, Overton and Buechele:

ON DECK
The Sooners return home for the first of two games against No. 11 TCU. The two teams both advanced to the 2010 College World Series. OU and TCU play April 12 at 6:30 p.m. in Norman and on April 26 in Fort Worth. Next weekend, OU tangles again with Bedlam rival Oklahoma State. Friday's game will be held at OneOK Field in Tulsa and games two and three are set for Redhawks Field in Oklahoma City.

LAST TIME OUT
The No. 7 Sooners recorded an 8-3 victory in a non-conference matchup over No. 23 Oklahoma State on Tuesday in the first meeting in Norman since 1996.

ROCHA NAMED BIG 12 PITCHER OF THE WEEK, AGAIN
After tossing a three-hit, one-run complete game, senior captain Michael Rocha was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week on April 4. It marks the third career honor from the conference office for Rocha and the second of 2011 (March 7). It also represents the fifth time a Sooner has been recognized by the Big 12 this season after Garrett Buechele has twice been named the player of the week (Feb. 21 and 28) and Jordan John was tabbed the newcomer of the week (Feb. 28).

MISC NOTES
- After 29 games, OU leads the Big 12 in batting average (.337), and ranks fourth in earned run average (3.10) and second in fielding percentage (.976).
- OU leads the Big 12 with 25 home runs while the other nine teams in the conference have a combined 107.
- OU leads the conference with 237 runs, the next closest team, Nebraska, has scored 206 runs. The Sooners lead the Big 12 in hits with 339 and Oklahoma St. is second with 313.
- The Sooner offense has outscored the opposition 237-105.
- OU has outscored opponents 35-12, 36-10 and 40-10 in the 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 seven homers. He has more home runs than Missouri and Texas with five and tied with Kansas.
- Buechele also leads OU and the Big 12 leads with a .430 batting avg., 52 hits, seven homers and 41 RBIs.
- In 18 of the Sooners' 29 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 12 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 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, has lasted at least seven innings in all seven starts with five or more strikeouts in each outing. Rocha has also limited the opposition to three hits or less in four of his starts ... Rocha is tied for the national lead with seven wins and ranks second with 55.2 innings pitched and a .154 opponent batting avg., third with a 0.97 ERA and fifth with 47 strikeouts.

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 TAKES OVER CAREER SAVES LEAD
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, 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). He is the first Sooner in OU history to have 10 or more saves in two seasons.

1. 31 - Ryan Duke (2008-present)
2. 28 - Jeff Bajenaru 1999-00)

TOUGH SCHEDULE
The Sooners are 3-4 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) and No. 23 Oklahoma State (W, 8-3). OU also dropped two games to Texas A&M and two to then-No. 9 Arizona State. OU is set to face four teams that appear in this weeks' top 25 polls, to combine for 12 games. OU also has OSU, Texas, TCU and Baylor left on the schedule.

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).

THE BIG INNING
OU has hit through the batting order 15 times in 29 games. OU had 23 such occasions in 2010. In addition, the Sooners have plated five or more runs in eight 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 3-1 this season in games decided by one run. OU was 14-7 in those situations in 2010 and the Sooners are 66-27-1 (.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 16 games this season (42 in 2010 with a 38-4 record), including five straight and are averaging 11.7 hits per game this season.

OU is averaging eight runs per game, featuring 11 contests scored in double digits (23 in 2010 with 22-1 record)
OU posted 27 in game one of the UAPB series, the most since exploding for 29 runs on March 22, 2009 at Kansas State.

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.)