ORU pitchers are difference-makers (Tulsa World 5-15-2007)

[ORUTerry]

ORU pitchers are difference-makers

by JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

5/15/2007

How does this year's ORU team stack up, both nationally and against the standard the Golden Eagles set last season?

"Their arms are some of the best in the nation," Centenary coach Ed McCann said Sunday after ORU swept his team at J.L. Johnson Stadium. "That (Chance) Chapman kid, he's special. All the arms they run out there, they're big. We played LSU, we played Arkansas, we played Texas A&M, and the arms that ORU runs out are better than any of the arms we've seen. That's what keeps them in games. And now their offense is just starting to get unhooked. It's going to be hard for people. You'd better bring your 'A' game."

Behind Chapman (6-1, 1.23) is junior Jeremy Hefner (8-1, 2.67), freshman Jerry Sullivan (4-0, 1.93) and senior Chris Ashman (4-3, 5.57). Senior reliever Erik Crichton (3-4, 2.90) and junior lefty Michael Jarman (2-4, 5.21) are strong out of the bullpen.

Good Chance: As McCann said, Chapman is special. His career ERA (1.36) is on pace to set the ORU career record (Gor don Helm's 1.79 from 1972-75 is the current mark).

Chapman, who was named Louisville Slugger / Collegiate baseball National Player of the Week, ranks among the nation's leaders in strikeouts (110), strikeouts per nine innings (13.56), earned run average (1.23) and opponents' batting average (.188). He tied the ORU single-game record earlier this season by striking out 17 in a win over Arkansas, then set a new record with 19 strikeouts Friday against Centenary.

On Friday, Chapman threw 150 pitches and struggled in the first and third innings. After that he was dominant.

"Those first three innings, I was all over the place," he said. "I had to make an adjustment quick. That's what helped me."

He said coach Rob Walton noticed his front shoulder was "flying open to the left" during his delivery.

"I fixed that and it all worked out," he said.

Bittersweet return: McCann was head coach at Mannford from 1978-84, and guided Edison from '84-87 before getting into the college game. His '84 Mannford team won a state championship at J.L. Johnson Stadium, giving life to a community that just days earlier had been ravaged by a tornado. His Centenary teams are 0-11 at ORU.

"That's what's so special about coming back here. I love the atmosphere. It's kind of like a homecoming," said McCann, who still has family in Tulsa. "Now, if I could just get these guys one time, it'd be special."

Double time: Ashman gave up a baserunner in each of his six innings Sunday, but repeatedly got out of trouble when his defense tied a school-record by turning five double plays.

The high number of double plays was no accident. Ashman didn't have a good slider on Sunday, so he resorted to a steady stream of changeups to right-handed hitters, which results in ground balls.

"He's not the same," McCann said. "He's a competitor, don't get me wrong. He'll compete, and he's a hard-nosed kid. But he doesn't have that great 'out' pitch that he had in the past."

Last year, Ashman was 10-1 with a 2.17 ERA.

"That's just life," Ashman said. "Just working through what you've got right now."

Voice of experience: Walton has seen it before -- a pitcher is unhittable one year; because of wear and tear on the arm, he's a different pitcher the next.

"I told him, 'What you're going through right now is very much like my senior year (at Oklahoma State)" Walton said. "I had to pitch more fastball-changeup. My velocity was a little down, and his is too."

Ashman threw 99 1/3 innings last year, but sat out the summer and the fall because of what Walton called a mild case of "dead arm."

"You've got to find ways to get guys out," Walton said. "There's different ways of getting 'em out. You may have got 'em out this way last year, but we're going to get them out this way today."

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QUICK PITCH

Oklahoma

(30-22, 9-15 Big 12)

Ranking: not ranked

Last week (1-2): lost to No. 21 Missouri 13-3, beat Missouri 5-0, lost to Missouri 10-8

This week: Monday vs. Stephen F. Austin, won 10-6; Friday-Sunday vs. Texas Tech (7 p.m., 3 p.m., 1 p.m.)

Oklahoma State

(37-13, 16-8 Big 12)

Ranking: 16th

Last week (3-0): swept Texas Tech 13-5, 7-0, 10-0

This week: Tuesday at No. 14 Wichita State, 7 p.m.; Friday-Sunday vs. No. 17 Missouri (6:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 1 p.m.)

Oral Roberts

(33-15, 14-1 Mid-Con)

Ranking: not ranked

Last week (4-0): swept Centenary 11-1, 9-3, 13-2, 3-2

This week: Thursday-Saturday at Western Illinois (3 p.m., noon, noon)

[tmh8286]

ORU pitchers are difference-makers

by JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

5/15/2007

"Their arms are some of the best in the nation," Centenary coach Ed McCann said Sunday after ORU swept his team at J.L. Johnson Stadium. "That (Chance) Chapman kid, he's special. All the arms they run out there, they're big. We played LSU, we played Arkansas, we played Texas A&M, and the arms that ORU runs out are better than any of the arms we've seen. That's what keeps them in games. And now their offense is just starting to get unhooked. It's going to be hard for people. You'd better bring your 'A' game."

On Friday, Chapman threw 150 pitches and struggled in the first and third innings. After that he was dominant.

Notice that McCann had nothing but complimentary things to say about Chapman, in spite of his high pitch count on the game.  That's in contrast to Van Horn's back handed compliment after his win over Arkansas (149 pitches):  "First off, their pitcher did a tremendous job," Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn said. "He threw more than 130 pitches on a Tuesday night. That's saying something. They really needed a win and they got one."

Good Chance: As McCann said, Chapman is special. His career ERA (1.36) is on pace to set the ORU career record (Gordon Helm's 1.79 from 1972-75 is the current mark).

Now wait a minute!  I don't think I'm ready for Chance to knock my buddy Gordon off the pedestal!!!  I've taken great pride in telling people that my friend has the best ERA of any pitcher that's played at ORU.  Now what am I going to say about him?  That he's a good guy??  I guess that'll have to work .

[ORUTerry]

Now what am I going to say about him?  That he's a good guy??  I guess that'll have to work .

[mickeyb]

Good Chance: As McCann said, Chapman is special. His career ERA (1.36) is on pace to set the ORU career record (Gor don Helm's 1.79 from 1972-75 is the current mark).

Chapman, who was named Louisville Slugger / Collegiate baseball National Player of the Week, ranks among the nation's leaders in strikeouts (110), strikeouts per nine innings (13.56), earned run average (1.23) and opponents' batting average (.188). He tied the ORU single-game record earlier this season by striking out 17 in a win over Arkansas, then set a new record with 19 strikeouts Friday against Centenary.

On Friday, Chapman threw 150 pitches and struggled in the first and third innings. After that he was dominant.

"Those first three innings, I was all over the place," he said. "I had to make an adjustment quick. That's what helped me."

He said coach Rob Walton noticed his front shoulder was "flying open to the left" during his delivery.

"I fixed that and it all worked out," he said.

Chance's season has got to be one of the most dominant in school history.  He's now 4th nationally in ERA (1.23) and 2nd in K's per nine innings (13.6).  It just further proves Coach Walton's special gift with pitchers.  Every year he's going to produce some great arms (Rogers, Bigley, Recio, etc.) - it's all a matter of them staying healthy to get us through a run in the post season.  Just like Hoover pointed out in his article, I like our chances with Chapman, Hefner, Sullivan, Ashman, Crichton, and Jarman on the mound in any regional.

[tmh8286]

I thought this statement was a highly complimentary statement about our entire pitching staff, not just Chapman, by Centenary baseball coach McCann:

""Their arms are some of the best in the nation," Centenary coach Ed McCann said Sunday after ORU swept his team at J.L. Johnson Stadium. "That (Chance) Chapman kid, he's special. All the arms they run out there, they're big. We played LSU, we played Arkansas, we played Texas A&M, and the arms that ORU runs out are better than any of the arms we've seen. That's what keeps them in games."

[Old Titan]

We do seem to have some fairly classy baseball coaches in the Mid-Con, in stark contrast to the bozos currently minding the stores at the remaining area baseball schools.

Van Horn at Arkansas, Anderson at OSU, and Galloway at OU can't hold a candle to their predecesors from the glory days of college baseball in this region - Norm DeBriyn, Gary Ward, and Enos Semore, respectively - in terms of ability or class.

That's why I love it when Rob Walton beats their butts...