2019 Oklahoma Sooner Baseball

[TulsaWorld]

Yesterday's recap...

OKLAHOMA CITY — Josh Watson hit a grand slam in TCU’s tournament-record 14-run fourth inning and the Horned Frogs routed Oklahoma 15-3 in seven innings Thursday in the Big 12 Tournament at Bricktown Ballpark.

The Horned Frogs (30-25) will likely need to win out in Oklahoma City to reach the NCAA Tournament.

Zach Humphries and Johnny Rizer also homered in the fourth inning, when TCU set the tournament mark for runs scored in a single inning. The Sooners threw over 70 pitches in the fourth, and 11 of the 18 Horned Frogs who batted got hits.

“At that point, we were fighting to get back in it,” OU outfielder Blake Brewster said about how the Sooners felt after TCU’s fourth-inning eruption. “One swing isn’t going to do it. We were just trying to have quality at-bats and get back in the game.

“At that point, it’s about pride, it’s about attitude and it’s about playing for the jersey on your back. If you can play up 24 runs, then you should be able to play down 24 runs.”

 

[TulsaWorld]

Remember Sunny Galloway?

Sunny Golloway is nearing a comeback to the dugout -- this time at the high school level.

The former Oklahoma, Oral Roberts and Auburn head baseball coach has been selected the new coach at Moore High School, according to an agenda for a special school board meeting set for Thursday night./quote]

 

[TulsaWorld]

MLB Draft notes...

Bobby Witt Jr. hasn’t finished his high school baseball career, but he’s already done his dad — a former big league pitcher — one better.

The University of Oklahoma signee from Colleyville, Texas, was chosen Monday by the Kansas City Royals with the second overall pick in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.

Witt went one spot higher in the draft than his father did 34 years ago. Bobby Witt, a former OU standout pitcher, was chosen third overall by the Texas Rangers in 1985. He played 16 big league seasons and was part of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2001 World Series championship team.

Witt was the only player with Oklahoma ties chosen through the first 63 first- and second-round selections.

 

[TulsaWorld]

Eight Tulsa Drillers, including OU's Cody Thomas, selected for Texas League All-Star Game in Tulsa

Four Drillers — catcher Keibert Ruiz, shortstop Gavin Lux, third baseman Cristian Santana and right fielder Cody Thomas — were elected to the starting lineup in voting by the league’s managers, coaches and media.

Ruiz, who is batting .261, also played in last year’s All-Star Game. Lux entered Thursday tied for the TL lead with 13 homers and was third with a .305 batting average. Thomas, a former University of Oklahoma quarterback, is hitting .281 with 10 homers and 41 RBIs. Santana is batting .290 with 30 RBIs.

 

[TulsaWorld]

From Barry Lewis...

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Tulsa Drillers outfielder Cody Thomas is tied for second with in the Texas League with 13 homers, but until this week most of the former University of Oklahoma quarterback's power had been shown away from home.

That was a bit surprising because ONEOK Field, with the right-field foul pole only 307 feet from home plate, has been good for left-handed hitters, such as Thomas, who have power.

"We talk a lot about it a lot, we've been robbed a couple times at home," Thomas said with a smile about most of his homers coming on the road. "I guess that's baseball, I'm looking to balance that out."

After nine of his first 11 homers came on the road, Thomas belted two in a three-game home series sweep over the Frisco RoughRiders. In a Wednesday matinee, Thomas' two-run homer launched the Drillers' 6-2 victory before 5,751 fans.

 

[TulsaWorld]

The Oklahoma baseball team will take part in the 2020 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic, Feb. 28-March 1, 2020 at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

The field for the 20th annual tournament boasts a Big 12 vs. SEC theme, as the Sooners will be joined by fellow Big 12 members Baylor and Texas, as well as Arkansas, LSU and Missouri from the SEC.

Link

 

[TulsaWorld]

With help from the Omaha World Herald and The Oklahoman, we made a gallery of some photos from OU's baseball championship season 25 years ago. Link here.

Also, the latest on Cody Thomas from Guerin Emig...

The first line of Cody Thomas’ Twitter bio reads: “Too blessed to be stressed.”

True to form, the Oklahoma quarterback-turned-Tulsa Drillers right fielder chilled out on the ONEOK Field concourse Tuesday evening, easing back into a folding chair, signing baseballs, posters and T-shirts for fans at the Texas League All-Star Game, talking about his past and present

“Yeah, I miss it now and then,” Thomas said of his 2013-15 stint with the Sooners. “Definitely during the season, Saturdays when the games are on. Last year was, I think, was the last one I could cheer on guys I played with at OU. That was a little harder.

“But when I’m going through this ... I’m so happy in I’m in this position right now.”

Thomas, listed by the Drillers at the same 6-foot-4, 211 pounds that the Sooners did, still cuts an imposing figure. He is tanner than I remember him from those chilly football falls. He sports a full beard that I don’t remember him trying to grow in college.

He seems totally at ease. That could be a product of three years’ more maturity or the fact he no longer has to worry about battling Trevor Knight, Blake Bell, Justice Hansen or Baker Mayfield to win OU’s starting job.

Or — and this is what I prefer — Thomas really loves his job.