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Oklahoma baseball: Sooners ranked 30th in preseason poll

By Chip Rouse

OMAHA, NE - JUNE 26: A general view of a basket of batting practice balls, during batting practice before game one of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oregon State Beavers on June 26, 2018 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 26: A general view of a basket of batting practice balls, during batting practice before game one of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oregon State Beavers on June 26, 2018 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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With the college football season over (except for the Big Game) and basketball heating up, it’s hard to think of baseball, but the Oklahoma baseball season opener is a little over a month off, on Valentines Day.

The Sooners begin the 2020 season on Feb. 14 with a three-game weekend series against the Virginia Cavaliers in Pensacola, Florida. OU is ranked 30th in the Collegiate Baseball News preseason poll.

Oklahoma is one of five Big 12 schools ranked in the top 30 of the CBN poll. Texas Tech is the highest ranked, at No. 3, behind top-ranked Louisville and Vanderbilt. Oklahoma State is 19th in the poll, TCU 20th and Texas 22nd.

This will be the third season under head coach Skip Johnson. The Sooners finished 33-23 a year ago and 11-13, tied for sixth place in the Big 12 standings.

Among the starting position players returning for another season are first baseman Tyler Hardman, catcher Brady Lindsly and shortstop Brandon Zaragoza, along with pitchers Cade Cavalli, Levi Prater, Ben Abram, Wyatt Olds. All earned All-Big 12 recognition last season.

Also back is closer Jason Ruffcorn, who is one of three Big 12 players named 2020 Preseason All-Americans by Collegiate Baseball News. Ruffcorn led the Big 12 a year ago with 11 saves.

The 2020 Sooner roster includes 21 newcomers (13 freshmen and eight transfers).

The three-game series with Virginia to open the 2020 season is being hosted by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. The Sooners’ home opener is Feb. 18, the first of a two-game set with Texas Southern.

Oklahoma’s 2020 schedule features 25 games against nine teams that reached the NCAA postseason last season. That includes the Shriner’s College Classic Feb. 28 to March 1 at Minute Maid Field, home of the Houston Astros. In that three-game tournament, the Sooners will face No. 9 Arkansas, No. 11 LSU and Missouri, all out of the powerful Southeastern Conference. Baylor and Texas are also in that tournament.

The Sooners will also face Arkansas on March 17 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.

OU will open its Big 12 schedule at home at L. Dale Mitchell Field against Red River rival Texas on March 20-22.

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