The Basics
Game 55
No. 10 Oral Roberts (43-11) vs Omaha (21-26)
Dates: May 24
Location: Fargo, N.D. (Newman Outdoor Field)
Watch: WDAY/Summit League Digital Network | Behind the Mic: ORU Sports Network | Live Stats: StatBroadcast

FARGO, N.D. – The No. 10 ranked and top-seeded Oral Roberts baseball team begins the hunt for its 21st Summit League Championship as they face off against four-seed Omaha on Wednesday at noon from Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, North Dakota. 

Wednesday's game will be broadcast on WDAY and streamed on the Summit League Digital Network. An audio broadcast of the game will be available on the ORU Sports Network. Fans can also follow along with the game on ORU's Twitter, @ORUBaseball.

Important Links
ORU Notes
Summit League Notes

Inside the Series
• Wednesday's matchup marks the 48th meeting all-time and fourth this season between the two programs. 

• The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series, 36-11, and have won seven straight against the Mavericks. 

• In the Summit League Championship, ORU is 3-2 against Omaha.

Quick Hits  
• The Golden Eagles enter the Summit League Championship riding the nation's longest active win streak, 15, and are in search of their 21st tournament title since joining the conference in 1998. In its last 36 games, ORU is 33-3.

• Headlined by Summit League Player of the Year Jonah Cox and Pitcher of the Year Cade Denton, ORU earned a conference-best 13 All-Summit League honors. Cox also earned Newcomer of the Year honors, while Mac McCroskey was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year and Ryan Folmar was named Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career.

• The Golden Eagles concluded the regular season with a 43-11 mark, including a 23-1 record in League play. This is the sixth time in program history ORU has finished with only one loss in conference action. The 43 wins are tied for the most under Folmar. 

• In the Summit League Championship, the Golden Eagles are 69-7 all-time and 22-0 in opening-round games. This is only the sixth time, ORU has played for the Summit League Championship away from the friendly confines of J.L. Johnson Stadium. The Golden Eagles have won four of the five tournaments outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

• In this week's Collegiate Baseball poll, ORU moved up to No. 10, marking the first time ORU has cracked the Top 10 since 1983. The Golden Eagles have been ranked in the poll for six consecutive weeks and also entered the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Top 30, checking in at No. 29 on Monday. 

• ORU clinched its 20th Summit League regular season title and second in the last three seasons back on May 7. Since joining the Summit League in 1998, the Golden Eagles have won 20 of the 23 regular season titles. (ORU was a member of the Southland Conference from 2013-14)

• Cox continues to be one of the nation's premier hitters as the junior ranks second in the country in hits (94), third in triples (8), fourth in batting average (.425), fourth in hits per game (1.7) and 36th in stolen bases (26). The junior pushed his hit streak to 38 games in a weekend sweep of Western Illinois and finished the regular season with a hit in 53 of the 54 contests.

• Cox was also named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and a midseason addition to the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List. 

• Through 26 appearances this season, Denton, a member of the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List, has recorded a 1.51 ERA and 12 saves, which ranks fifth nationally. Among active players, Denton ranks third in career ERA (1.74).

• The Golden Eagles will send All-Summit League Second Team member Harley Gollert to the mound in Wednesday's opening-round contest. On the year, Gollert led the League and ranks 11th nationally with nine wins. The Austin Peay transfer also registered a 3.33 ERA and struck out 75 batters in 14 appearances.

• ORU's offense concluded the regular season as the Summit League leader in batting average (.317), runs (443), hits (599), home runs (86), RBI (402), on-base percentage (.406), stolen bases (91), slugging percentage (.531), triples (18), total bases (1004) and walks (253). On the mound, ORU tops the conference in ERA (3.71), batting average against (.235), WHIP (1.23), saves (19), innings pitched (475.0), hits allowed per nine innings (7.8), strikeouts-to-walk ratio (2.8), walks allowed per nine innings (3.4) and strikeouts (488). Defensively, the Golden Eagles top the League in putouts (1425), assists (486), double plays (43) and fielding percentage (.984).

• Nationally, ORU ranks third in fielding percentage, third in WL percentage (.796), third in WHIP, fifth in ERA, 10th in batting average, 11th in hits allowed per nine innings, 12th in hits, 12th in strikeout-to-walk ratio, 13th in shutouts (5), 14th in walks allowed per nine innings, 17th in slugging percentage, 18th in sac flies, 22nd in triples, 22nd in runs, 28th in scoring (8.2) and 33rd in on-base percentage. 

• Matt Hogan leads the League in RBI (61), walks (39) and sac flies (6), while Brothers ranks first in doubles (18). Hogan also enters the tournament riding a 26-game on-base streak.

• On the mound, Brooks Fowler leads the League in ERA (2.60), while Jakob Hall ranks first in strikeouts (80), strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.0), WHIP (1.04) and walks allowed per nine innings (1.11).

• At the national level, Hall ranks seventh in walks allowed per nine innings and 19th in WHIP. 

• 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 returned 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 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. 

• 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. McCroskey and Denton were named the Preseason Player and Pitcher to Watch for ORU as voted on by the league's seven head coaches. First baseman 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. 

• Since 2001, ORU has made 17 NCAA Regional appearances, which rank as the most among Oklahoma schools.

• Folmar is in his 11th season at the helm of the Golden Eagles and has compiled a 362-221 (.632) overall record. On Saturday, Folmar collected the 200th home win of his career.

Scouting the Opponent
• The Mavericks claimed the final spot in the Summit League Championship after taking Saturday's finale at Northern Colorado. 

• Omaha enters the postseason with a 21-26 mark overall and is led by Mike Boeve, who holds a .401 average to go along with four homers and 32 RBI. 

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.