Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Begin Baseball Season This Weekend
February 01, 2001 | Cowboy Baseball
Feb. 1, 2001
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The First Pitch:
The 2001 season will mark the 88th year of baseball at Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys open the year with a three-game set at Desert Sun Stadium, the
former spring training home of the San Diego Padres. On Friday, the Pokes
will take the field for a 4:30 p.m. CST contest against The Citadel.
On Saturday, OSU will square off with the San Diego State Aztecs at 8 p.m. before closing out the weekend with a 3:30 p.m. contest against Cal-Riverside.
About the Opposition:
In OSU's only previous meeting with The Citadel, the Cowboys came away
with a 21-12 win over the Bulldogs on Feb. 16, 1996.
The Cowboys opened last season with a three-game set against the Aztecs in Yuma. SDSU won the first two contests, 3-2 and 10-3, before OSU closed out the series with a 14-8 win. Overall, the Pokes hold a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series.
Sunday's meeting between OSU and Cal-Riverside will be the first ever between the two schools. The Highlanders are making the jump to Division I this season after many years as a Division II powerhouse.
Season/Home Openers:
Oklahoma State is 45-18-1 all-time in season openers. With last season's
3-2 setback to San Diego State, OSU saw its streak of 14 consecutive
season-opening wins snapped. OSU is 51-12 all-time in home openers.
On the Mound:
On the hill for the Cowboys Friday afternoon will be preseason All-Big
12 pick Josh Merrigan. Merrigan, a senior southpaw from Vermillion, S.D.,
went 8-2 last season with a 2.91 ERA en route to second team All-Big 12
honors.
Saturday's starter against the Aztecs will be junior college transfer Nick McCurdy. McCurdy, a two-time draft choice of the Colorado Rockies, will be making his first ever start for the Pokes after transferring from Jefferson Davis Junior College.
Sophomore righty Mike Miller or freshman Scott Baker will be making the start on Sunday. Miller was 1-1 in his freshman campaign mainly as a relief pitcher. Baker, considered one of the top newcomers in the country according to Baseball America, was a 36th round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2000 amateur baseball draft.
In the Polls:
Georgia Tech is the unanimous choice as the country's top team entering
the 2001 season. In three national polls (Baseball America, Collegiate
Baseball and the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll) the Yellowjackets were
tabbed as the nation's top squad.
OSU enters the season unranked in two of the polls and received 17 votes in the BW/ESPN poll, equating to a ranking of No. 40 if the poll were carried out.
The Coaching Staff:
Oklahoma State is under the direction of head coach Tom Holliday, who is
entering his fifth season at the helm of the Cowboys. In his five seasons,
Holliday has led OSU to a record of 168-83, including a berth in the 1999
College World Series.
The 2001 season will be Holliday's 24th in association with the Oklahoma State program. Before taking over the reins of the program, Holliday was instrumental in helping former Cowboy skipper Gary Ward build one of college baseball's powerhouse programs.
The Tradition:
Oklahoma State's baseball program is one of rich tradition. All told,
the Cowboys have made 19 appearances in the College World Series, including
a national championship in 1959.
OSU has produced 23 consecutive winning seasons, 40 All-Americans and 13 first round draft picks.
From 1981-1996, the Pokes claimed 16 consecutive Big Eight championships and reached the CWS seven straight seasons from 1981-1987.
The Streak:
After posting a 36-22 record last year, the Cowboys found themselves in
unfamiliar territory. The 2000 season saw a pair of impressive streaks
snapped as the Cowboys 20-year string of 40-win seasons and 19 consecutive
NCAA appearances came to an end.
Familiar Faces:
Unlike a year ago, the Cowboys return several key players who logged
significant innings. The OSU lineup will be anchored by junior catcher Ryan
Budde. A Midwest City, Okla. native, Budde has been tabbed as a preseason
All-America selection and is on the Rotary Smith Award List, the award given
to the best college baseball player in the country. Versatile juniors
Nebasett Brown and Rob Watson have the ability to play multiple positions on
the infield, providing the Cowboys with the ability to adapt their lineup.
Across the outfield, a quartet of veteran players, Jimbo McAuliff, Toby
Rhodes, Luke Scott and Roy York, return after combining for 30 HRs and 164
RBIs.
Survivor Connection:
Pitcher Josh Merrigan is watching with a vested interest in the
Survivor II television series. Merrigan went to high school with Mitchell
Olson who is one of the 16 castaways on the island. Olson, a Vermillion,
S.D. like Merrigan, native made the first cut on Super Bowl Sunday. We will
update his progress in the notes every week.
