The Basics
Games 61-63
Oral Roberts (49-11) at Oregon (40-20)
Dates: June 9-11
Time: 7:00 PM CST | 8:00 PM CST | TBD (If Necessary)
Location: Eugene, Ore. (PK Park)
Watch: ESPN (GM1)/ESPNU (GM2)/ESPN+ | Behind the Mic: ORU Sports Network | Live Stats: StatBroadcast
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts baseball team hits the road for a best-of-three series against Oregon in the Eugene Super Regional starting Friday night at 7 p.m. CST at PK Park. Saturday's contest is slated for 8 p.m., while Sunday's if necessary game is TBD.
The winner of the Eugene Super Regional will punch their ticket to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
Friday's contest will be broadcast on ESPN, while Sunday's game will be on ESPNU. An audio broadcast of the series will be available on the ORU Sports Network. Fans can also follow along with the games on ORU's Twitter, @ORUBaseball.
Important Links
ORU Notes
Summit League Notes
Inside the Series
• Friday's super regional opener marks the second meeting all-time and first since 1979 between the two clubs.
• The Ducks claimed the lone meeting between the two sides, 7-5, in Riverside, Calif.
• ORU is 1-0 against Pac-12 opponents this season, defeating Washington 15-12 in the Stillwater Regional.
Quick Hits
• The Golden Eagles are making their first NCAA Super Regional appearance since 2006 after sweeping through the Stillwater Regional. The undefeated performance marked the third time in program history ORU has accomplished that feat in a regional (1978 & 2006).
• The Golden Eagles, who are the eighth No. 4 seed in NCAA history to make a super regional, have won a program record (D1-era) 21 games in a row, which is the longest active streak in the country. ORU has also won 14 straight road contests. In its last 42 games, the Golden Eagles are 39-3.
• ORU, who has played 12 consecutive games away from J.L. Johnson Stadium, is in search of its first College World Series appearance since 1978.
• During the Stillwater Regional, the Golden Eagles became the only team in NCAA history since 1999 to topple a No. 1 seed as a No. 4 in the opening round three times. For an encore on Saturday, ORU registered the third largest come-from-behind victory in NCAA Tournament history, rallying from an eight-run deficit to defeat Washington, 15-12.
• Closer Cade Denton, the Stillwater Regional Most Outstanding Player, registered three saves in three days and tied the single-season program record for saves with his 15th on Sunday. Jacob Godman, Jake McMurray, Mac McCroskey, Jonah Cox and Dalton Patten were named to the Stillwater Regional All-Tournament team.
• In Sunday's Stillwater Regional final, head coach Ryan Folmar surpassed former Golden Eagle skipper and current Oklahoma State pitching coach Rob Walton for the second-most wins in program history (368).
• The Golden Eagles' 49 wins mark the program's most since 2004 (51) and are the second-most in the nation behind only No. 1 Wake Forest.
• ORU concluded the regular season with 10 consecutive series wins, with eight of them being sweeps.
• The Golden Eagles will send their regular rotation to the mound this weekend in RHP Jakob Hall, LHP Harley Gollert and RHP Brooks Fowler. On the year, the trio has combined for a 17-5 record to go along with a 3.46 ERA.
• Cox continues to be one of the nation's premier hitters as the junior ranks second in hits (106), third in triples (8), fourth in hits per game (1.8) and fifth in batting average (.424). The junior, who was named the Summit League Player and Newcomer of the Year, extended his hit streak to 44 games in the Stillwater Regional, which is the sixth-longest in NCAA history. Cox, who has hit safely in 59 of the 60 contests this season, became the program's all-time record holder for hits in a season in Saturday's win over Washington.
• The Thornton, Colo., native 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 31 appearances this season, Denton has recorded a 1.65 ERA and 15 saves, which are tied for the most in the country. The junior, an NCBWA Stopper of the Year Finalist, is only the fourth player in program history with 20-plus career saves (22). Among active players, Denton ranks third in career ERA (1.79).
• ORU secured its 30th NCAA Regional appearance and second straight after capturing its 21st Summit League Championship title with a 12-4 victory over South Dakota State. The win improved the Golden Eagles to 72-7 all-time in the Summit League Championship and marked the 19th time in program history they have claimed both the regular season and tournament titles in the same season.
• In the latest Collegiate Baseball poll, the Golden Eagles moved up to No. 7 and have been ranked in the poll for eight straight weeks. The No. 7 ranking is the Golden Eagles' highest since 1983. In this week's NCBWA poll, ORU jumped to No. 14.
• The Golden Eagle offense led the Summit League in batting average, runs, hits, RBI, on-base percentage, stolen bases, slugging percentage, triples, total bases and walks. On the mound, ORU topped the conference in ERA, batting average against, WHIP, saves, innings pitched, hits allowed per nine innings, strikeouts-to-walk ratio, walks allowed per nine innings and strikeouts. Defensively, the Golden Eagles led the League in putouts, assists, double plays and fielding percentage.
• Nationally, ORU ranks first in fielding percentage (.984), second in win/loss percentage (.817), fourth in batting average (.324), fourth in WHIP (1.26), fifth in ERA (3.83), sixth in hits (690), 11th in hits allowed per nine innings (7.9), 12th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.80), 14th in runs (506), 17th in slugging percentage (.531), 18th in scoring (8.4), 18th in walks allowed per nine innings (3.42), 18th in on-base percentage (.414) and 19th in shutouts (5).
• On the mound, Gollert ranks 10th nationally in wins with 10. The 10 wins are the most by a Golden Eagle since 2017.
• 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.
• 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. 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 18 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 368-221 (.625) overall record.
Scouting the Opponent
• Oregon enters the Super Regional with a 40-20 record after sweeping the Nashville Regional a weekend ago.
• Drew Cowley paces the offensive attack for the Ducks as the senior is batting .342 to go along with 16 homers and 67 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.