Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Face Wichita State In Showdown Of Top 15 Teams
May 16, 2007 | Cowboy Baseball
#10 Oklahoma State (37-13)
at #12 Wichita State (43-16)
May 15 • 7 p.m.
Eck Stadium (7,851)
Oklahoma State
The Cowboys are 37-13 and have won six-straight games after sweeping Texas Tech in Lubbock last weekend. OSU travels to 12th-ranked Wichita State for a Tuesday night showdown in the Cowboys' final non-conference game of the regular season before concluding the regular season with a key Big 12 Conference series against No. 17 Missouri this weekend at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.
OSU is hitting a Big 12-best .331 and leads the Big 12 in runs and hits per game, and seven Cowboy regulars are hitting .317 or better. The Cowboy pitching staff has a collective 3.74 ERA, which ranks second in the conference, and their 124 walks is the fewest in the league.
Wichita State
The Shockers are 43-16 after dropping two of their three games at home against 25th-ranked Cal State-Fullerton last weekend. WSU is 23-9 on their home turf this season, and the Shockers are 4-6 against ranked teams in 2007.
The Coaches
OSU's Frank Anderson is 150-82 in his fourth season with the Cowboys.
The Shockers are led by Gene Stephenson, who in his 30th season at WSU is 1,595-527-3.
In The Polls
OSU's highest ranking is No. 10 by the NCBWA. The Cowboys are also ranked 13th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll, 16th by Baseball America and 18th by Collegiate Baseball.
Wichita State's highest ranking is No. 12 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll. The Shockers are ranked 13th by Baseball America and 14th by the NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball.
On The Air
All OSU baseball games will be carried live by Stillwater Radio on KSPI 93.7 FM and/or 780 AM. Rex Holt, who is in his 25th season as the play-by-play voice of Cowboy baseball, will call the action, with Matt Davis providing color commentary. The radio broadcast can also be accessed via the internet at www.okstate.com (link is available under Audio Webcast). Those wishing to follow the game via live stats can also log in to www.okstate.com.
Aluminum Assault
Frank Anderson called his 2006 squad the best offensive team he's had since arriving in Stillwater, but the Cowboys might be even better in 2007.
In '06, OSU led the Big 12 in extra base hits, including topping the conference in home runs, triples and slugging percentage. OSU also ranked second in team batting average (.316) and runs (443), and seven different Cowboys batted at least .300.
The Cowboys are continuing that type of production at the plate in 2007. OSU leads the Big 12 in batting average (.331), slugging percentage (.546), on-base percentage (.415), runs (424), hits (593), doubles (121) and home runs (75).
Anderson's club also ranks among the national leaders in several offensive categories, a list of which can be found on page 8 of this release.
Six Cowboys — Ty Wright, Tyler Mach, Corey Brown, Rebel Ridling, Matt Mangini and Keanon Simon — are among the top 20 hitters in the Big 12, with Wright's .434 average leading the league and Mach's .408 average ranking second.
OSU is averaging 8.5 runs and 11.9 hits per contest in '07, both of which lead the Big 12. The Cowboys have had at least 10 hits in 32 games this season, with a season high of 25 vs. ASU.
Continuing The Assault
Through 24 Big 12 Conference games, the Cowboys have reached several notable marks. Among them are:
• OSU's 17 hits in the opener at Kansas was its most against a Big 12 opponent since the Cowboys had 17 vs. Texas Tech on May 14, 2004. They also had 17 hits in the finale vs. Baylor;
• The Cowboys' 14 runs in the opener at Kansas was their most against a Big 12 opponent on the road since they scored 16 at Kansas State on April 25, 2004;
• OSU's 48 hits against Baylor were the most ever by the Cowboys in a Big 12 series. The previous high was 47 against Kansas in 1998;
• The 39 runs OSU scored against the Bears was its most in a Big 12 series since the Cowboys scored 41 in a 1999 series against Kansas State.
• The Cowboys lead the Big 12 in runs (169), hits (254), doubles (52), home runs (35) and RBIs (153) in conference-only games. OSU ranks second in league games in batting average (.302) and slugging percentage (.501).
We've Got A Streaker
Ty Wright has hit safely in 27-straight games, the second longest streak in OSU history. The school and NCAA record is 58 games, set in 1987 by Cowboy great Robin Ventura.
Wright's streak began on March 24 at Kansas, and he is hitting .450 (50-for-111) during that span. The hot hitting has raised Wright's batting average 49 points.
