Baseball 2/4/2021 11:22:00 AM

Stars field veteran ballclub

OCU opens season noon Friday at Jim Wade Stadium

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University makes its return to the baseball diamond this weekend at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Stars face York (Neb.) at noon Friday and MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) at 5 p.m. Friday at Jim Wade Stadium.
Oklahoma City went 17-8 last year and rated third in home runs per game, fourth in slugging percentage and fifth in runs scored and runs driven in per contest in the NAIA.
Denney Crabaugh reached a pair of milestones in his career last year. Crabaugh notched career win No. 1,500 in the Stars' season-opening victory Feb. 1 and moved into fourth place on the NAIA's all-time career victories list. Crabaugh owns a mark of 1,516-468-2 in 32 years as Oklahoma City coach.
Crabaugh has built the nation's winningest program since 1991. OCU leads college baseball with 1,450 wins in that span. OCU has produced 77 Major League Baseball draftees and 163 professionals. The Stars captured the 2005 national championship.
"I've been very impressed with the work ethic and attitude of this team," Crabaugh said. "Most of the players are back from last year, and they feel they have some unfinished business this year. Our offense should be solid up and down the lineup. We will be able to play multiple combinations without any drop off. Our pitching staff has more quality depth than there's been in a few years. Keeping them healthy will be a key to our success."
To watch Stars baseball, visit the OCU Sports Network's BlueFrame portal. Cost to see each game will be $4.99 per contest. Fans are currently not permitted at OCU home contests.

TOP RETURNERS

• Gunner Halter made the all-Sooner Athletic Conference team as well as the league gold glove squad in 2020. Halter, a senior infielder from Overland Park, Kan., boasted of a .426 batting average, six home runs, 20 RBIs and three stolen bases
• Bryson Lierle, a senior infielder from Altus, Okla., collected a conference gold glove award last season. Lierle has career numbers of .301 average, nine homers and 65 RBIs while taking second-team all-SAC acclaim as a junior
• Dalton Reed, a senior infielder from Roff, Okla., reeled in SAC gold glove honors the past season. Reed hit .321 with seven homers and 25 RBIs in 2020
• Noah Barks, a junior infielder-designated hitter from Mustang, Okla., posted a .395 average and 19 RBIs last season. Barks was second-team all-SAC as a freshman
• Peyton Crispin, a senior infielder-outfielder from Lookeba, Okla., supplied OCU with a .320 average, five homers and 23 RBIs last year. Crispin nabbed first-team all-conference in 2019
• Cross Factor ranked second nationally in RBIs per game (1.84) and third in runs knocked in (46). Factor, a senior outfielder from Yukon, Okla., had a .364 average with 12 homers last season
• Jake Patterson is a key member of OCU's pitching staff. Patterson, a senior left-hander from Ardmore, Okla., recorded a 3-2 record with a 3.69 earned run average and 43 strikeouts in 31.2 innings

NEW FACES

• Connor Ferguson came to OCU from Walla Walla (Wash.). Ferguson is a sophomore right-handed pitcher from Boise, Idaho
• Tyler Polk joined the Stars after spending last year at Oklahoma State. Polk, a redshirt freshman righty from Duncan, Okla., became The Oklahoman state player of the year during his prep days
• Cade Stephens, a junior infielder from Blanchard, Okla., picked up a .328 average, two homers and 12 RBIs at Cowley (Kan.) last year

PRESEASON BUZZ

• The Stars own the No. 16 spot in the preseason NAIA baseball rankings
• OCU stood No. 2 in the preseason SAC coaches poll

MEET THE COACH

• Denney Crabaugh has guided Oklahoma City to 14 NAIA World Series appearances, 14 50-win seasons and four trips to the national title game in 32 years
• Crabaugh has coached 88 all-Americans, 163 future pros, 73 NAIA scholar-athletes, 18 CoSIDA academic all-Americans and seven national players of the year
• Brad Wieck, currently with the Chicago Cubs, is the latest OCU alum to reach the majors when he came up with the San Diego Padres in September 2018. Five OCU alumni coached by Crabaugh and seven former OCU players all-time have become major leaguers, including 2006 National League batting champion Freddy Sanchez
• Crabaugh's daughter Amy is a sophomore on the OCU softball team. Crabaugh's daughter Mindy was an all-American with OCU softball, while his son Cody was an all-American pitcher for the Stars

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

• OCU has three teams who were included in the preseason NAIA top 25 on the schedule. The Stars' first matchup against a rated team will be against No. 25 MidAmerica Nazarene. OCU also takes on MidAmerica Nazarene at 3 p.m. Saturday at Jim Wade Stadium
• Central Methodist (Mo.), ranked 10th in the NAIA, comes to Oklahoma City for a two-game set against the Stars on Feb. 13-14
• Second-ranked USAO is the preseason SAC favorite. The Stars meet USAO in the final series of the year on April 29-May 1
• The SAC Tournament is slated for May 7-10

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Players Mentioned

#11 Noah Barks: INF; 5' 11"; Junior; R/R

#4 Peyton Crispin: INF; 6' 0"; Senior; L/L

#9 Cross Factor: OF; 6' 0"; Senior; L/R

#2 Gunner Halter: INF; 6' 3"; Senior; R/R

#34 Bryson Lierle: INF; 6' 3"; Senior; R/R

#17 Jake Patterson: LHP; 6' 2"; Senior; L/L

#15 Dalton Reed: INF; 6' 5"; Senior; L/R

#21 Cade Stephens: INF; 6' 3"; Junior; L/R

#26 Tyler Polk: RHP; 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#30 Connor Ferguson: RHP; 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#11 Noah Barks
: 5' 11"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#4 Peyton Crispin
: 6' 0"; Senior; L/L
: INF

#9 Cross Factor
: 6' 0"; Senior; L/R
: OF

#2 Gunner Halter
: 6' 3"; Senior; R/R
: INF

#34 Bryson Lierle
: 6' 3"; Senior; R/R
: INF

#17 Jake Patterson
: 6' 2"; Senior; L/L
: LHP

#15 Dalton Reed
: 6' 5"; Senior; L/R
: INF

#21 Cade Stephens
: 6' 3"; Junior; L/R
: INF

#26 Tyler Polk
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: RHP

#30 Connor Ferguson
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: RHP