Completed Event: Baseball versus (2) Georgia Tech on May 31, 2026 , Win , 15, to, 8
Final
Baseball
15
vs (2) Georgia Tech
8
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Baseball Season Preview Part II
February 09, 2012 | Baseball
Feb. 9, 2012
Full Bio 5-11 | 204 | RHP | So. Flower Mound, Texas | Flower Mound H.S.  Won first career start in 2011 at Arkansas Little Rock..----------------------------------------------------------
Full Bio 6-5 | 270 | RHP | RS-Fr. Edmond, Okla. | Deer Creek H.S. High school All-American redshirted the 2011 season..----------------------------------------------------------
Full Bio 6-4 | 255 | RHP | Jr. Waxahachie, Texas | Waxahachie H.S. Two-way player made first appearance on mound in 2011.----------------------------------------------------------
Full Bio 6-3 | 200 | LHP | RS-So. Corpus Christi, Texas | Calallen H.S. Drafted in the 28th round of 2011 draft by Houston Astros.----------------------------------------------------------
Drew Krittenbrink
Full Bio 6-1 | 170 | RHP McKinney, Texas | McKinney North H.S. Did not allow a run in four of his nine appearances in 2011.----------------------------------------------------------
Full Bio 5-11 | 182 | RHP | Jr. Del Rio, Texas | Del Rio H.S. Two-way player made 11 appearances on mound in 2011.----------------------------------------------------------
Full Bio 6-2 | 160 | RHP | So. Weatherford, Okla. | Weatherford H.S. Named 2011 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American. ---------------------------------------------------------- NEWCOMERS - 10
Full Bio 6-2 | 225 | R/R | So. McKinney, Texas. | McKinney H.S. Homered and drove in three runs in first career game.----------------------------------------------------------
Full Bio 5-10 | 200 | R/R | Sr. Southlake, Texas | Howard College Came off the bench to play catcher in 17 games (4 starts)..---------------------------------------------------------- NEWCOMERS - 2
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NORMAN, Okla. -- In preparation for the 2012 baseball season, which begins on Friday, Feb. 17, SoonerSports.com will release a three-part preview that will break down the team by position. OU opens the campaign on the road at Pepperdine before returning to Norman for the home opener on Feb. 24 against Hartford.
The second installment takes a look at the Sooners' pitchers and catchers, including video from coach Golloway as he breaks down each of the positions.
The first installment on Wednesday focused on the team as it builds off last season's 40-win season and the program's 34th NCAA Tournament appearance.
Stay tuned to the final installment on Friday as it highlights the infielders and outfielders and features more video from coach Golloway.
PITCHERS
The Oklahoma staff returns eight pitchers from last season, highlighted by two talented left handers in Jordan John and Dillon Overton. While Overton was named a freshman All-American last season, John was selected in the 28th round of the MLB Draft by the Houston Astros. From the right side, OU returns Steven Bruce, Cale Coshow, Drew Harrison, Drew Krittenbrink, Kindle Ladd and Jack Mayfield.
Six of the 11 Sooners drafted in 2011 were hurlers and OU looks to replace the likes of Ryan Duke, Michael Rocha, Tyson Seng, Burch Smith and Bobby Shore in 2011.
While the Sooners lost a lot of talent to the next level, it returns two players already drafted in John and Overton (2010 draft pick of the Boston Red Sox). In addition, the Sooners' staff boasts four junior college transfers that were chosen by MLB clubs in the last three years. That includes right-hander Jonathan Gray from Eastern Oklahoma State, who was a 10th round selection of the New York Yankees last year and a 13th round selection of the Kansas City Royals in 2010. Steven Okert, a left-handed pitcher from Grayson Junior College, has also been drafted twice in his career, both times by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Both Gray and Okert will battle John and Overton for spots in the rotation while Damien Magnifico, a right hander from Howard Junior College, is expected to serve as the club's closer. The hard-throwing Magnifico was a fifth round selection of the New York Mets out of high school in 2009 before attending Howard. Rounding out the group of drafted pitchers is Chris Burgess, a righty from Black Hawk College in Illinois. Burgess was taken in the 30th round by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011.
"I think when you look at this year's pitching staff and its potential, and pitching staffs in the past, it might look like there was more experience with past clubs on paper," said Golloway. "However, when you think about Dillon Overton as a freshman and his eight wins, three were against Oklahoma State, Texas and TCU. Those are three of our top rivals and that's something a lot of pitchers don't achieve in their entire career. He accomplishes it in one year and was named freshman All-America because of it.
"I use that for an example because he has a wealth of experience after his freshman year. Jordan John has a lot of experience because he is in his third year with us after redshirting in 2010 and pitching last season. Steven Bruce and Kindle Ladd have experience from last year. Cale Coshow redshirted last year and is in his second year with our program. He could jump on the scene similar to the way that Jordan John did last year. There are a lot of innings in place there and, I think, a lot of experience."
While the group of 10 newcomers is highlighted by Burgess, Gray, Magnifico and Okert, OU also brings in six other hurlers primed to contribute in 2012. The group includes freshmen right handers Jacob Rhame, Cole Stevens and Alex Gebert and two lefties from the junior college ranks with Jake Fisher and Ty Taylor.
"There are a lot of the newcomers coming into our program that already have some quality innings out of high school and on the junior college level," said Golloway. "These hurlers are talented and they played a big part in our recruriting class being ranked as high as No. 4 this year."
The combination of quality experience and balance of hurlers from the right and left side has Golloway excited about working with situational match ups.
"The balance is there and the match up game is there for us to win a lot of games if we execute," said Golloway. "We have never really had that luxury with as many left-handed arms as we have on this year's roster. That's pretty special and that is why we are excited about the potential of this group."
CATCHERS
The Sooner program has developed some of the nation's top catchers over the years and in 2012, OU looks to replace Tyler Ogle, a two-year starter. Ogle replaced J.T. Wise, after he won the 2009 Johnny Bench Award, given to the nation's top catcher. Ogle was a semifinalist for the same award in 2010 and 2011. Both Wise and Ogle were drafted in the first 10 rounds of the Major League Draft and head coach Sunny Golloway believes another of the nation's best behind the plate can emerge from this year's crop.
"There are a couple of those players behind the plate that are very good offensively, but I don't necessarily want our catcher to win the job based off his offensive ability, we want them to be solid defenders," said Golloway. "We want them to be able to block balls in the dirt, throw out would-be base stealers, and also be able to handle our pitching staff. "
Two of the four catchers fighting for playing time are returners from last year's team in senior Tanner Toal and sophomore Jake Smith.
Toal hit .318 in his 22 games played (four starts) and Smith took advantage of his limited playing time with three RBI in two games played.
Smith and Toal are joined by newcomers Dylan Neal, a sophomore and junior college transfer from Blinn College, and freshman Hunter Lockwood, a 17th round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2011 MLB Draft.
"The key for our defense up the middle is going to be behind the plate," said Golloway. "We have to be good, that is the bottom line. We have a transfer in with Dylan Neal and a freshman in Hunter Lockwood. Then we return two guys from last year with Jake and Tanner. We have to be fundamentally sound."
Golloway envisions each of the four catchers to contribute in 2012 after a strong showing in the fall.
"This is an injury-prone position and we have to be deep there," said Golloway. "You have to have multiple guys that can start on any given day. I've seen a lot of improvement with our catching core. Hunter Lockwood and Dylan Neal have come a long ways. Jake Smith played great for us in the fall. He's coming into his sophomore year and is feeling more comfortable and he is opening a lot eyes."
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