Hogwired's Oklahoma game preview
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Razorbacks were selected as one of the 64 teams to participate in the 2002 NCAA Baseball Regional to be held at various sites across the country this weekend.
The third-seeded Razorbacks (31-26) will take on the second-seeded Oklahoma Sooners (35-25) in Wichita, Kan. Top seeded Wichita State (46-15) will play No. 4 seed Oral Roberts (46-17) in the second game. No game times have been determined.
The Razorbacks will be making their 15th NCAA postseason appearance and their first since 1999. Arkansas is 27-28 all-time in NCAA postseason including a 7-8 mark at the NCAA College World Series.
Arkansas and Oklahoma met twice during the 2002 regular season with each team claiming a victory. The Sooners took a 7-1 decision in the first meeting of the year in Norman on March 12.
The Razorbacks posted a 9-6 win in Fayetteville on April 9. Arkansas holds a slight 10-9 advantage in the series history and has won three of the last four meetings. The Razorbacks and Sooners have never met in postseason play.
Arkansas also played Wichita State and Oral Roberts during the 2002 season. The Shockers nipped the Razorbacks 3-2 on April 23, in Fayetteville. Wichita State holds a 16-12 series advantage over Arkansas. The Shockers and Hogs have met five times in NCAA Regional competition, with Wichita State winning four of the five games.
The Razorbacks own a 52-29 series record against Oral Roberts, including a pair of wins this season. Arkansas blanked the Golden Hurricanes 14-0 on April 16, in Tulsa, and claimed a 6-3 victory on April 30, in Fayetteville. ORU and Arkansas have squared off twice in NCAA Regional play with each team posting a victory.
The winner of the Wichita Regional advances to the Super Regional and will travel to Clemson, S.C., to take on the winner of that regional featuring No. 1 seed Clemson (47-14), No. 2 seed East Carolina (41-18-1), No. 3 seed Elon (34-21) and No. 4 seed Georgia Southern (38-23).
The first round of NCAA Regional play is double elimination, while the Super Regional is a best of three format.
Tournament Schedule
Friday, May 31
Game 1 No. 2 Oklahoma (35-25) vs. No. 3 Arkansas (31-26), Eck Stadium, TBA
Game 2 No. 1 Wichita State (46-15) vs. No. 4 Oral Roberts (46-17), Eck Stadium, TBA
Saturday, June 1
Game 3 Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, Eck Stadium, TBA
Game 4 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, Eck Stadium, TBA
Game 5 Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, Eck Stadium, TBA
Sunday, June 2
Game 6 Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, Eck Stadium, TBA
Game 7 If necessary Eck Stadium, TBA
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