The Basics
Games 6-8
Oral Roberts (4-1) at Texas State (3-0)
Dates: February 24-26
Location: Bobcat Ballpark (San Marcos, Texas)
Watch: GM 2 - GM 3 | Listen: ORU Sports Network | Live Stats: Sidearm Stats

TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts baseball team hits the road for the first time in 2023 as they travel to face Texas State for a three-game set starting Friday evening at Bobcat Ballpark. The series opener is slated for 6 p.m., followed by a 2:30 p.m. start Saturday and a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.

Saturday and Sunday's contests will be streamed on ESPN+, while all three games will have an audio broadcast available on the ORU Sports Network. Fans can also follow along with the game on ORU's Twitter, @ORUBaseball.

Important Links
ORU Game Notes
Texas State Notes
Summit League Notes

Inside the Series
• The three-game set marks the first meeting all-time between ORU and Texas State. 

• Dating back to last season, the Golden Eagles are 9-3 against first-time opponents.

Quick Hits     
• ORU is off to their best five-game start since 2018 as they enter the weekend with a 4-1 mark.

• Newcomer Matt Hogan continued his hot start to the season, belting his fourth homer of the campaign in Wednesday's midweek against Missouri State. The senior totaled two RBIs in the contest to push his team lead to 12. Nationally, Hogan ranks fourth in home runs and sixth in RBIs.

• Shortstop Mac McCroskey earned Summit League Peak Performer of the Week and Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week honors on Monday after launching a school record-tying three home runs on Opening Day. The Springdale, Arkansas, native has also reached base in 27 straight games, dating back to last season.

• On the mound, Jakob Hall was tabbed the Summit League Peak Pitcher of the Week after tossing a career-high six innings on Opening Day. The sophomore also totaled a career-best-tying six strikeouts and allowed two runs, one earned.

• ORU will send Hall to the mound in the series opener followed by LHP Harley Gollert on Saturday and RHP Brooks Fowler on Sunday. The three Golden Eagle hurlers combined for a 1.13 ERA over 16.0 innings of work on Opening Weekend.

• Through five games, the Golden Eagle offense leads the Summit League in runs (38), hits (49), doubles (12), triples (3), home runs (9), RBIs (36), total bases (94), slugging percentage (.566), walks (20) and stolen bases (9). On the mound, ORU tops the conference in ERA (2.35), saves (1), innings pitched (46.0), runs allowed (15) and earned runs allowed (12). Defensively, the Golden Eagles top the League in putouts (138) and assists (56). Nationally, ORU ranks first in double plays (9), 14th in sacrifice flies (4), 15th in doubles, 15th in triples, 18th in homer runs, and 19th in ERA.

• Newcomer Jonah Cox has made a strong impact in the early going for ORU as the junior leads the Summit League in doubles with four, which puts him eighth nationally. The Thornton, Colorado, native also leads the Golden Eagles with six extra-base hits through the first five contests.

• The Golden Eagles are coming off their 20th Summit League Tournament Championship and 29th NCAA Regional appearance after finishing with a 38-20 record in 2022. ORU returns 15 players from last year's NCAA Regional squad and welcomed 17 newcomers in the offseason.

• After an electric 2022 season out of the bullpen, right-hander Cade Denton received Preseason First Team All-American honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association (NCBWA) and was tabbed the Preseason Summit League Pitcher of the Year by D1 Baseball and Perfect Game USA. The Rowlett, Texas, native was also named to the Preseason Watch List for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball. Entering the weekend, the junior has not allowed an earned run over his last 37.1 innings.

• In the 2023 Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll, ORU was selected as the unanimous favorite to claim the regular season crown. The Golden Eagles received 42 points and earned all six first-place votes they could. Redshirt senior Mac McCroskey and Denton were named the Preseason Player and Pitcher to Watch for ORU as voted on by the league's seven head coaches. Senior Jake McMurray and Denton garnered Preseason All-Summit League honors from Perfect Game USA.

• Entering the 2023 season, ORU ranks sixth all-time in NCAA history with a .652 winning percentage. 

• Head Coach Ryan Folmar enters his 11th season at the helm of the Golden Eagles and has compiled a 323-211 (.605) overall record.  

Scouting the Opponent
• The Bobcats are coming off one of their best seasons in program history after setting a school record for wins (47) and falling a victory shy of an NCAA Super Regional.

• On Opening Weekend, Texas State plated 56 runs and had eight different players hit a homer.

• The Bobcats will send Preseason All-American RHP Levi Wells to the bump on Friday followed by RHP Zeke Wood on Saturday and RHP Nathan Medrano in the finale on Sunday.

• In the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches' Poll, Texas State was picked to finish second. Triston Dixon, Wells, Zeke Wood and Jose Gonzalez were named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason Team.

For the latest information on ORU Baseball, follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the ORU Athletics app from the App Store or Google Play Store.