Baseball Hosts No. 2 Baylor in Final Big 12 Series

May 10, 2012

Oklahoma (30-19, 10-10 Big 12) vs. No. 2 Baylor (38-8, 18-0)
Game 50	Friday, May 11, 6:30 p.m.
Game 51	Saturday, May 12, 2 p.m.
Game 52	Sunday, May 13, 1 p.m.
Location	Norman, Okla. \| L. Dale Mitchell Park (3,180)
TV	Friday/Sunday: Cox Ch. 3 \| Saturday: Fox Sports Net
Radio	Sooner Sports Network \| KREF 1400 AM
Internet Audio	SoonersSports.com
Live Stats	SoonersSports.com
Promotions	Sooners For a Cure, Coach "G" hats and trading cards
Tickets	$8 adult/ $5 youth
Game Info	Game Notes \| 2012 Media Guide \| Baseball Blog \| Twitter

BAYLOR PREVIEW
• Oklahoma (30-19, 10-10 Big 12) hosts No. 2 Baylor (39-8, 18-0) this weekend in the first of seven home games that will close out the 2012 regular season slate. Friday's game starts at 6:30 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Saturday's contest is at 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale is set for 1 p.m.
• The Sooners have won 12 of the last 17 games and are receiving votes in the NCBWA poll. Baylor is the nation's consensus No. 2 ranked team and is undefeated in Big 12 play. The Bears are 9-1 in their last 10 games after winning 3-0 at Texas State Wednesday.
• The Sooners return five position starters from the 2011 squad that finished 41-19 overall and third in the Big 12 (14-11).
• Baylor returns 20 letterwinners from the 2011 team that was 31-28 overall, fifth in the Big 12 at 13-14, and advanced to the NCAA Houston Regional. In 2012, Baylor won 24 straight games before falling to UTSA on April 24, its last loss.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
• The OU radio broadcast with play-by-play announcer Toby Rowland and Chris Plank (color) can be heard this weekend on the Sooner Sports Network (KREF 1400 AM in Norman/OKC). Every game is also online at SoonerSports.com along with live stats.
• Games one and three will be televised on the Sooner Sports Network (Cox Ch. 3/703 HD) with Chad McKee and Ross Hubbard. In addition, Sunday's game will be carried on DirecTV on the Fox College Sports Network. Check with your cable or satellite provider for coverage in your area.
• Saturday's game will be televised nationally by Fox Sports Net (Cox Ch. 37 in OKC) with Greg Lucas and Jack Lazorka on the call.

PITCHING ROTATIONS
Game 1 - Oklahoma: LHP Jordan John (8-5, 2.45 ERA) vs. BU: LHP Josh Turley (7-0, 1.74 ERA)
Game 2 - Oklahoma: RHP Jonathan Gray (5-4, 4.06 ERA) vs. BU: RHP Trent Blank (9-0, 2.43 ERA)
Game 3 - Oklahoma: TBA vs. BU: TBA

PLAYER TO WATCH - CODY REINE
Cody Reine has reached base safely in all but five games this season. He has hit safely in 25 of the last 33 games with five multi-hit games and 17 RBI, including the game-tying homer in the ninth inning of game one versus Texas and the game-tying triple in game three against Kansas State. He has two triples in last six games and ranks fifth in the Big 12 in that category. In addition, all four of his triples have come in Big 12 play, which leads the league.
2012 Season Stats: .277, 2 HR, 21 RBI, four triples

WEEKEND PROMOS
On Friday, May 11 at 6:30 p.m. the Oklahoma baseball team will host “Sooners for a Cure” night at L. Dale Mitchell Park as they take on No. 2 Baylor.

The cause is an initiative by Oklahoma coaches and student-athletes to show their support in the fight against cancer. All student-athletes, coaches and staff in attendance will wear a powder blue or pink t-shirt to wear during a pregame ceremony to show their support in the Athletics Department's fight against cancer. The group will also participate in the a pitch ceremony.

Fans are encouraged to wear powder blue or pink in support of the cause and the first 250 people in attendance will receive a "Sooners for a Cure" wristband.

Below is a complete list of giveaways and promotions this weekend:

Friday, May 11 at 6:30 p.m.
"Sooners For a Cure"
First 250 fans receive a "Sooners for a Cure" pink wristband
First 1,000 fans receive an OU baseball hat designed by head coach Sunny Golloway

Saturday, May 12 at 2 p.m.
First 250 fans receive an OU license plate holder
Sooners will sign autographs following the game (weather permitting)

Sunday, May 13 at 1 p.m.
First 250 fans receive the 2012 OU Baseball trading card set
Kids can run the bases following the game (weather permitting)

BAYLOR SERIES
- The series is tied at 29 games apiece after Baylor won two out of three in Waco last season (4-2, 4-5, 3-2).
- Baylor has won eight of the 15 Big 12 series meetings.
- There have only been two three-game sweeps between the two in Big 12 play and OU recorded both in 2004 (Norman) and 2009 (Waco).
- Oklahoma and Baylor played just twice in 2010, including one regular season game after inclement weather cancelled the final two games of the series in Norman. OU won the opener, 7-6, and then fell 8-3 in the Big 12 Championship.
- The team that wins the opener has gone on to win the series in 12 of the 15 meetings.
- In seven of the 15 series meetings, the two have split the first two games. OU is 2-5 in decisive game threes. The Sooners won in 2002 and 2006 but dropped rubber matches in 1997, 2001, 2005, 207 and 2011.
- In the 58 games played in the series, 35 have been decided by three runs or less with BU holding a 19-16 advantage. The two have split the 20 games decided by one run.

ON DECK
OU continues the seven-game homestand that closes out the season with a midweek showdown with No. 24 TCU on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Following the midweek game, OU closes the regular season with a three-game series with Samford on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

LAST WEEK
Oklahoma went 2-3 last week including a 2-1 series loss against in-state rival No. 25 Oklahoma State (0-3, 8-4, 2-3). OU started the week with an 11-0 win over Mid America University. The next day, the Sooners dropped a 4-3 decision at then-No. 27 TCU.

PITCHING IMPRESSIVE DURING EIGHT-GAME STREAK
OU allowed 13 earned runs and posted a 1.60 earned-run average during the eight-game winning streak. The Sooners topped then-No. 9 Arkansas (April 10) to start the streak and also beat Oral Roberts in a midweek game while recording three-game sweeps over Missouri and Alabama State. OU posted three of its four shutouts on the season in the winning streak with a 4-0 win over Arkansas and two shutouts over Alabama State (7-0 and 5-0). The Sooner hurlers allowed just over six hits per contest in that span and opponents were hitting .202.

FIVE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
The Sooners are 27-6 on the season when holding opponents to five runs or less and 2-13 when the opposition scores six or more. OU has limited the opposition to five or less runs in 25 of the last 29 games and hold a 19-10 record in that span.

ONE-RUN GAMES UNDER GOLLOWAY
The Sooners are 8-8 in one-run games in 2012 after going 4-9 a season ago. OU is 75-43 (.636) in one-run games under head coach Sunny Golloway. OU has won double-digit games in that situation in 2006 (15), 2007 (11), 2009 (10) and 2010 (14).

DOUBLE DIGITS
The Sooners are 16-5 when collecting 10 or more hits in a game with wins over Pepperdine, Hartford (2), New Mexico (3), UAPB (1), Air Force (2), Texas Tech (2), Missouri (2), Alabama State, Kansas, Mid America and Oklahoma State. OU is also 3-0 when scoring double-digit runs with victories over Hartford (2/25), New Mexico (3/3) and MACU (4/30). OU is 1-3 when allowing 10-plus runs against Pepperdine (2/18), UTA and Oregon State. The Sooners are 8-13 when giving up 10 or more hits.

SOONERS AND THE LONGBALL
OU is currently tied for second in the Big 12 with 24 home runs on the season, including a league-best nine dingers from freshman Hunter Lockwood. The Sooners are 14-4 when they hit a home run in a game this year and 2-1 with multiple longballs (Feb. 24 vs. Hartford and April 14 vs. Missouri). The Sooners have ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the Big 12 each of the last three seasons, including a league-best 105 in 2010 and 91 in 2009.

TIME FOR A RALLY
In the 30 victories in 2012, the Sooners have come from behind in 15 of those contests. Of Sunny Golloway's 291 wins at OU, 147 (.505) have been in come-from-behind fashion, including 18 last year (22 in 2010).

WHITE TABBED BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior Max White was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday for games played from April 23-29. White hit .444 in four games last week (8-for-18) with nine RBI off two doubles and his second homer of the year. In last week's four games, White slugged at a .722 clip with 13 total bases while scoring four runs. The week ended as OU recorded a two-game sweep at Kansas (finale rained out) with a career-high five RBI from White, including a three-run homer to clinch the series in the fifth inning. He later singled in two runs during OU's five-run ninth inning.

MAGNIFICO NAMED BIG 12 NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
RS-Sophomore Damien Magnifico claimed a share of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on April 16. Magnifico was one out short of his first complete game on Tuesday as he tossed 8 2/3 shutout innings to defeat No. 9 Arkansas. He improved to 1-0 after his second start of the year and 14th appearance.

LOCKWOOD COLLECTS TWO BIG 12 WEEKLY AWARDS
Freshman Hunter Lockwood was named Co-Big 12 Baseball Player of the Week and earned the Newcomer of the Week award outright on April 2. Lockwood hit safely in all four games last week to continue his season high eight-game hitting streak. He batted .429 (6-for-14) with two homers, eight RBI, a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base percentage as OU won three of its four games, including a series win over KSU.

OVERTON AND GRAY COLLECT BIG 12 WEEKLY HONORS
Two Sooner hurlers earned Big 12 baseball weekly honors on for games played March 5-11. Dillon Overton earned the Pitcher of the Week award after winning two games in that week, including a complete game win against West Virginia in the Nike Showcase. Jonathan Gray was tabbed the Newcomer of the Week after striking out 10 batters in the win over No. 9 Oregon.

JOHN NAMED BIG 12 PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Redshirt sophomore reliever Jordan John was named the Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week on March 5 after tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings in two games at New Mexico. John allowed one hit in the two appearances, combined for a shutout and held opponents to a .059 batting average.

GOLLOWAY GETS WIN No. 600
On Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, the Sooners recorded an 8-3 victory, marking the 600th in head coach Sunny Golloway's career. At OU, Golloway has won 265 games, the third most in school history and just 16 behind Jack Baer, who coached OU to the 1951 National Championship. In his 14 full seasons as a DI head coach, Golloway's teams have averaged 42.14 wins per year.

OU PICKED THIRD IN BIG 12 PRESEASON POLL
The Sooners were picked to finish third in the 2012 Big 12 Coaches' Preseason Poll on Feb. 14. It marks the fourth straight year that the Sooners were picked in the top four spots in the preseason poll.

Texas A&M was selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2012 Big 12 baseball regular season title, followed by Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor, Missouri, Oklahoma State,Texas Tech, Kansas and Kansas. A complete poll is listed on page 5.

PRESEASON TOP 25 POLLS
Oklahoma is ranked in the top 25 preseason polls for the fourth straight year, with its highest recognition coming from the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association (NCBWA) at No. 14. OU is also ranked No. 15 by the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll, No. 16 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 19 by Baseball America. Turn to page four for all the preseason listings.

WHO'S BACK
The Sooners return 15 letterwinners and seven starters (five position players, two pitchers) from the 2011 team. In the offseason, the coaching staff signed a class of 21 players that were ranked as high as No. 4 (Collegiate Baseball) in the recruiting rankings. View the listing of each player on page 3.

2011 DRAFT RECAP
OU will feature some new faces in 2012 as 11 Sooners were drafted last June, a mark that led the Big 12 and marks the most taken in program history, topping the 10 selected in 1998 and 1995. The 11 selections ranked in a tie for second place in the nation behind Vanderbilt (12). Arizona State, Florida and South Carolina also had 11 while Texas was eighth with nine selections. The most players drafted in the Sunny Golloway era was nine, accomplished twice in 2009 and 2006. Overall, 43 Sooners have been drafted on Golloway's watch, including at least four in every season but one. In addition, 22 of the players came to Norman undrafted in their careers. Of the 11 Sooners taken in 2011, eight were selected for the first time and two others improved their draft status by at least four rounds.

DRAFTED PLAYERS ON 2012 ROSTER
Below is a look at the nine players taken in the Major League Baseball Draft on the current roster. It spans the last three years and includes seven players taken a year ago, including two-time draftees Jonathan Gray and Steven Okert.

Chris Burgess (2011 - 30th round - Tampa Bay)
Adam Choplick (2011 - 17th round - Arizona)
Jonathan Gray (2011 - 10th round - NY Yankees and 2010 - 13th round - Kansas City)
Jordan John (2011 - 28th round - Houston)
Hunter Lockwood (2011 - 17th round - LAA Angels)
Damien Magnifico (2009 - 5th round - NY Mets)
Steven Okert (2011 - 33rd - Milwaukee and 2010 - 43rd round - Milwaukee)
Dillon Overton (2010 - 26th round - Boston)
Drake Roberts (2011 - 49th round - Minnesota)

BREAKDOWN OF 2012 SCHEDULE
- 30 home games, including four Big 12 series
- Home Big 12 series with Texas, KSU, Missouri & Baylor
- Non-conference home games vs. Oral Roberts, Air Force, Arkansas, DBU and TCU
- Other key non-conference games vs. Pepperdine, New Mexico, Connecticut, Oregon, West Virginia, Oregon State and Oklahoma State.
- Bedlam Series in Tulsa and OKC, May 4-6
- 12 opponents from 2011 NCAA Tourney (28 games)
- 8 teams that finished 2011 ranked in top 25
- Seven foes with 40-plus wins a year ago
- Two 2010 CWS participants (Texas & Texas A&M)
- Three other Super Regional teams (DBU, Oregon State and Connecticut)
- First time opponents in Oregon, Connecticut, West Virginia, Alabama State, Hartford and Samford

BASEBALL ON KREF 1400 AM IN 2012
The 2012 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 50-plus regular season games live over the air and extends into postseason play.

Additionally, 18 of the 24 Big 12 games are set to be carried on the Sooners Sports' Network, enabling fans to listen to OU baseball on various stations across the state starting on March 30 against Kansas State. Overall, 23 games will be carried on the network with non-conference games against Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts and TCU.

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

2012 TELEVISION SCHEDULE
The University of Oklahoma announced the television schedule for the 2012 Sooner schedule and 16 baseball games produced by the Sooner Sports Network will be televised in the state of Oklahoma on Cox Communications Cable (Cox Ch. 3/703 HD). Six of those same games will be carried nationwide on DirecTV via Fox College Sports (Ch. 617 or 623).

Each of the games will be televised live from Norman with local sports personality Chad McKee calling the play-by-play and additional contests will be added throughout the season. Please check your local cable or satellite provide for coverage in your area.

The Sooners are also scheduled to appear in two games on Fox Sports Southwest. The first of the two nationally televised games will be played on Friday, May 4 in Tulsa, Okla., for the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Bedlam Series. That game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at ONEOK Field in downtown Tulsa. The second game comes during the final Big 12 series of the year against Baylor. The Sooners and Bears will tangle at 2 p.m. on Saturday May 12 on FSN.

Sooner Sports Network-Cox Ch. 3 in OKC/Tulsa)
March 16 - Texas (6:30 p.m.)
March 17 - Texas (2 p.m.)
March 18 - Texas (1 p.m.)
March 20 - Air Force (6:30 p.m.)
March 21 - Air Force (3 p.m.)
March 30 - Kansas State (6:30 p.m.)
March 31- Kansas State (2 p.m.)
April 1 - Kansas State (1 p.m.)
April 10 - vs. Arkansas (6:30 p.m.)
April 13, 15 - vs. Missouri (6:30 p.m., 1 p.m.)
May 11, 13 - vs. Baylor (6:30 p.m., 1 p.m.)
May 15 - vs. TCU (6:30 p.m.)
May 17,18,19 vs. Samford (6:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 1 p.m.)

Fox College Sports
March 16, 17 - Texas (6:30 p.m., 2 p.m.)
March 30 - Kansas State (6:30 p.m.)
April 10 - vs. Arkansas (6:30 p.m.)
May 13 - vs. Baylor (1 p.m.)
May 15 - vs. TCU (6:30 p.m.)

Fox Sports Southwest
May 4 - vs. Oklahoma State (7 p.m. in Tulsa)
May 12 - Baylor (2 p.m.)

ESPNU
April 7 - at Texas A&M (3:30 p.m.)

SOONERS INK 15 FOR 2013 SEASON
Oklahoma signed 15 student athletes as part of the 2013 incoming class back in November.

The OU coaching staff inked 11 high school players, including four of the state of Oklahoma's best in Jacob Evans, a two-way player from Broken Arrow H.S., Taylor Hawkins, a catcher from Carl Albert H.S., Carson McPherson, a left-handed pitcher from Ardmore H.S., and Colt Pickens, an infielder/outfielder from Yukon H.S.

The Sooners also plucked three of the best south of the Red River in Kolbey Carpenter (infielder from West ISD), Ralph Garza (RHP/INF from New Braunfels H.S.) and Huntey Haley (INF/OF from Central Heights H.S.), while adding Justin Burba (OF from Wichita Campus High), the No. 3 recruit from the state of Kansas.

Overall, 11 of the 15 recruits are from the high school ranks while the Sooners also added four junior college players.

Craig Aiken | OF | R/R | 5-10 | 160
Coppell, Texas (Coppell H.S.)

Justin Burba | OF/1B | L/L | 6-0 | 185
Wichita, Kan. (Wichita Campus H.S.)

Kolbey Carpenter | INF | R/R | 6-0 | 175
Waco, Texas (West H.S.)

Ralph Garza Jr. | RHP/INF | R/R | 6-3 | 185
New Braunfels, Texas (New Braunfels Senior)

Hunter Haley | INF/OF | R/R | 5-10 | 175
Nacogdoches, Texas (Central Heights H.S.)

Taylor Hawkins | C | R/R | 5-11 | 185
Oklahoma City, Okla. (Carl Albert H.S.)

Kyle Hayes | INF/RHP | R\L | 6-2 | 210
Santee, Calif. (Santana H.S.)

Anthony Hermelyn | INF | R/R | 6-1 | 200
McKinney, Texas (McKinney H.S.)

Hayden Jones | 1B/LHP | L/L | 6-1 | 190
Houston, Texas (Langham Creek H.S.)

Hector Lorenzana | INF | R/R | 5-11 | 190
San Diego, Calif. (Howard College)

Carson McPherson | LHP | R/R | 6-0 | 190
Ardmore, Okla. (Ardmore H.S.)