Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Baseball Ranked 14th By Collegiate Baseball
December 23, 2008 | Cowboy Baseball
TUCSON, Ariz. — The Oklahoma State Cowboys are ranked No. 14 in Collegiate Baseball newspaper's Fabulous 40 2009 preseason baseball poll, it was announced today.
OSU is coming off a 2008 season in which it finished 44-18 and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons under head coach Frank Anderson. The Cowboys finished second in the Big 12 Conference regular season standings with an 18-9 mark and earned a No. 1 NCAA Regional seed for the second time in the last three seasons.
The Cowboys return four starters from a year ago, including sophomore infielder Tom Belza, who led the Big 12 in hitting as a true freshman with a .386 batting average, and junior outfielder Neil Medchill, who earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in his first season in Stillwater by hitting .349 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs.
OSU's pitching staff also returns much of its production from last season, and the southpaw duo of juniors Tyler Lyons and Andrew Oliver are set to once again anchor the rotation. Oliver was 7-2 a year ago and ranked third in the Big 12 with a 2.20 ERA, while Lyons tossed four complete games and finished with a 12-2 mark on the mound.
The Cowboys climbed to as high as No. 5 in the national polls in 2008 and finished the season ranked as high as 17th. Collegiate Baseball ranked OSU No. 18 in its final '08 poll.
LSU earned the top spot in Collegiate Baseball's 2009 preseason rankings. Texas A&M (9th) and Texas (10th) are the only Big 12 teams ranked ahead of the Cowboys.
OSU opens the 2009 season Feb. 20 against BYU in Stillwater.
OSU is coming off a 2008 season in which it finished 44-18 and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons under head coach Frank Anderson. The Cowboys finished second in the Big 12 Conference regular season standings with an 18-9 mark and earned a No. 1 NCAA Regional seed for the second time in the last three seasons.
The Cowboys return four starters from a year ago, including sophomore infielder Tom Belza, who led the Big 12 in hitting as a true freshman with a .386 batting average, and junior outfielder Neil Medchill, who earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in his first season in Stillwater by hitting .349 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs.
OSU's pitching staff also returns much of its production from last season, and the southpaw duo of juniors Tyler Lyons and Andrew Oliver are set to once again anchor the rotation. Oliver was 7-2 a year ago and ranked third in the Big 12 with a 2.20 ERA, while Lyons tossed four complete games and finished with a 12-2 mark on the mound.
The Cowboys climbed to as high as No. 5 in the national polls in 2008 and finished the season ranked as high as 17th. Collegiate Baseball ranked OSU No. 18 in its final '08 poll.
LSU earned the top spot in Collegiate Baseball's 2009 preseason rankings. Texas A&M (9th) and Texas (10th) are the only Big 12 teams ranked ahead of the Cowboys.
OSU opens the 2009 season Feb. 20 against BYU in Stillwater.
Tuesday, July 07
Tuesday, July 07
Friday, June 05
Friday, May 29
