All Big-Four Team

[Bogus Smith]

All-Big Four

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

6/18/2006

Lineup

Player AB R H  HR RBI AVG 

CF Keanon Simon, Jr., OSU  220 55 74 6 25 .336

LF Chuckie Caufield, Sr., OU  271 68 95 9 50 .351

SS Tim Torres, Sr., ORU  226 56 71 10 39 .314

C Andy Bouchie, Jr., ORU  229 52 86 12 54 .376

DH Chad Rothford, Jr., ORU  217 38 72 13 62 .332

3B Ryan Rohlinger, Sr., OU  256 69 99 13 67 .387

OF Corey Brown, So., OSU  216 68 75 13 40 .347

1B Kevin Smith, Sr., OU  260 47 83 9 70 .319

2B Shelby Ford, Jr., OSU  213 50 68 12 60 .319

Bench

Player AB R H  HR RBI AVG 

OF Brendan Duffy, So., ORU  212 67 76 1 40 .358

3B Tyler Mach, Jr., OSU  250 47 91 16 66 .364

1B Danny Hamblin, Jr., Ark.  235 46 68 17 68 .289

C Jackson Williams, So., OU  202 38 59 3 36 .292

Rotation

Player W--L IP SO ERA 

RH Chris Ashman, Sr., ORU  10-1 99.1 75 2.17

LH Brae Wright, Sr., OSU  8-4 99.1 59 3.99

RH Daniel McCutchen, Sr., OU  10-8 148.2 147 4.06

LH Nick Schmidt, So., Ark.  9-3 116.2 145 3.01

Bullpen

Player W--L IP SO ERA 

RH Sean Jarrett, Sr., ORU  7-2 61.2 71 2.63

LH Devin Collis, Sr., Ark.  7-3 44.0 28 2.45

RH Chance Chapman, Jr., ORU  5-1 46.1 36 1.55

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How the team was selected

The All-Tulsa World baseball team is comprised of 20 players who played at Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts. Players are selected based on their positions using statistical criteria such as batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, home runs, runs batted in, stolen bases and fielding percentage.

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PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

2006: Sean Jarrett, ORU

2005: Dennis Bigley, ORU

2004: Dennis Bigley, ORU

2003: Jose Virgil, OSU

2002: Jason Franz, OU

2001: Michael Rogers, ORU

2000: Jeff Bajenaru, OU

1999: Lamont Matthews, OSU

[Bogus Smith]

Jarrett's move to ORU best relief

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

6/18/2006

Arizona transfer wanted to start, but turned out to be one of the top closers.

Irony, it seems, has a thing for relief pitchers.

Sean Jarrett left the University of Arizona after two seasons in the bullpen because he wanted to be a starting pitcher. So he arrived at Oral Roberts and got a brief shot, but was quickly sent back to the bullpen.

Some letdown that was.

Jarrett became a dominating closer in leading ORU to its first Super Regional and is the Tulsa World's All-Big Four Player of the Year.

"It's a little ironic," Jarrett said, "because I came here to be a starter."

Jarrett went 7-2 with a 2.63 earned run average and seven saves this season. He made five starts, but his best work was as a reliever.

Before taking the loss in the opening game of the Clemson Super Regional, Jarrett was virtually untouchable out of the pen. In 34 2/3 innings of relief, he had allowed just one earned run -- a 0.26 ERA -- and struck out 51. During that stretch, his walks-per-nine innings ratio of 13.2 would have ranked second among Division I pitchers, and his .126 opponents' batting average would have led the nation.

He was 5-0 with seven saves during that span, which included seven appearances against Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Wichita State. In 14 2/3 innings against those NCAA Tournament teams, Jarrett faced 51 batters and struck out 41 percent of them, and allowed five hits, two walks and no runs.

At Clemson, a seeing-eye single, an uncharacteristic walk and an infield single preceded a walk-off grand slam that will leave a stain in Jarrett's memory of 2006. But his body of work -- particularly his six innings of scoreless relief in back-to-back games at the Fayetteville Regional -- earned him the honor.

"I think the mentality is what makes him good," said ORU coach Rob Walton. "But it all comes down to fastball command. He can hit both sides of the plate, and he pitches off of that. It's a lot like Dennis (Bigley, an ORU All-American in 2004-05). It's got a little down angle to it, and the ball's down and away. He doesn't leave many balls out over the plate.

"And he can get people in two-strike counts pretty quickly. He can dot the glove. If the glove doesn't move, there's a chance the umpire's going to ring (the batter) up. His command allows him to get ahead in the count and then he's either got another fastball or he changes speeds to get somebody out."

Jarrett's five starts were fine, but, said catcher Andy Bouchie, "When he was a starter, I think he tried to use too much command. Now he has command with a little power."

"Sean's a very intelligent young man and I think sometimes he will out-think himself," Walton said. "I think he puts a little too much pressure on himself, and maybe his best stuff didn't come out. Now, in the bullpen, he's a little bit more aggressive."

Bouchie said Jarrett gained 5-6 mph on his fastball when he moved to the bullpen. Jarrett said he didn't think it was that much, but definitely felt a difference.

"You have to change the way you pitch a little bit," Jarrett said. "Coming out as a starter, you probably aren't quite as aggressive at the beginning. You're thinking, 'OK, I've got to last six or seven innings and try to keep it going.' As a reliever, you come in and your job is more pitch-by-pitch and you've got to get the first guy and just continue with that. It's a little more intense mentally and I think it affected my mentality trying to stay in the game as a starter."

After throwing a no-hitter for the Harrisonburg (W. Va.) Turks last summer, Jarrett wanted to be in the Wildcats' rotation in 2006. But Arizona coach Andy Lopez made the decision that he would remain in the bullpen, so Jarrett, disgruntled, came to ORU and made history -- from the bullpen.