OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 28, 2020) – In a baseball season in which every game will count in the conference standings, pitching figures to be at a premium, and that's potentially good news for Oklahoma Christian as the Eagles embark upon the 2020 campaign.

With three starting pitchers returning, four other ones showing starter potential and what appears on paper to be a deep bullpen, the Eagles should be set on the mound for the 50-game Lone Star Conference slog, which will begin Friday when they start a three-game series at Texas A&M-Kingsville.

"Our pitching has looked good," OC coach Lonny Cobble said. "We haven't hit as well, but that hopefully will come around. We're still really young but we're a year older than last year. … Without being overconfident, I think our pitching is going to give us our best chance, and hopefully we can score some runs."

OC is coming off a 28-20 season that was a surprise to a lot of folks who expected the Eagles to be rebuilding. Instead, OC spent nearly the whole season in the South Central Region rankings and remained in serious contention for a NCAA tournament berth until the final week, when a late-season slump finally knocked the Eagles out of the mix.

Two players (outfielder Hunter Markwardt and pitcher Gabe Rodery) earned All-Region honors, another was the Heartland Conference's freshman of the year (outfielder Blake Empkey) and another freshman made the All-Heartland honor squad (second baseman Kevin Collyar).

Markwardt now is in the professional ranks – taken by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 13th round of the Major League Baseball draft in June – but Rodery, Empkey and Collyar all return, giving OC a solid core of talent around which to build as it enters the Lone Star. OC will face each of the other 13 teams in the LSC, playing two three-game series and 11 four-game series, leaving no room for nonconference games – something Cobble is not a fan of.

Rodery is arguably the best pitcher in the Lone Star and one of the best in the South Central Region. The senior left-hander went 7-3 with a 2.79 ERA last season, pitching seven complete games (three of those shutouts) and striking out 80 batters in 84 innings. He was a three-time Heartland pitcher of the week and once earned regional pitcher-of-the-week honors.

Junior right-handers Robbie Suhr (0-4, 5.83 ERA) and Brent McDonald (0-1, 6.94) spent all or part of last season in the OC pitching rotation, gaining valuable experience. Other potential starters this season include a pair of transfers, Hayden Boyd (Arkansas-Little Rock) and Kaden Kirby (Harding), as well as returnees Casey Minchey (1-1, 7.00) and Ty Dudley, who had bullpen roles last season. Kirby (2-3, 6.57) started last season's Great American Conference tournament championship game for Harding.

Left-handers Jake Tomcheck (2-0, 6.48) and Chase Berberich (5-2, 4.50) figure to anchor the OC bullpen, along with fellow southpaws Cole Lee (a transfer from Southern Nazarene) and junior Julien Ly, who have performed well in the preseason. Cody Johnson, a transfer from Austin College (Texas), freshman Carter Hines and returnees Corey Allen, Nathan James and Noah Bates also will have roles. Empkey and catcher Brayden Bafaro also could see time on the mound, too, in closer roles.

"We've got Gabe, who will always keep us in games," Cobble said. "We've got Robbie Suhr, who had bad luck last year but has thrown really well. We've got a lot of experience on the mound coming back and that's always a positive. We've got lots of depth and a lot of guys who can throw strikes."

Behind the plate, the Eagles will use a platoon system of sorts, with transfer Coleton Hinkle, returnees Brendon Bavester and Bafaro and freshman Austin Hamilton all vying for playing time.

Tanner White, a good-hitting transfer from Dodge City (Kan.), will open the season at first base, with Collyar (.308, three home runs, 29 RBIs) having locked down the starting spot at second base. Veteran Austin McCain will be the shortstop, with sophomore Grant Lake (.276, 1 HR, 14 RBIs) – a part-time starter last season – sliding over to third base.

Returnee Tanner Wade and newcomers Jordan Kennedy (the younger brother of former OC standout Chad Kennedy), Jaren Hill, Michael DiFiore and Caleb Janssen also could see time in the infield, while seniors Errett Edwards (.331, two HRs, 29 RBIs) and Abe Spencer will be the primary designated hitters.

Empkey (.337, 2 HRs, 46 RBIs) will be the right fielder, with Lee (.287, 11 RBIs at SNU) in center field and Ly (.250, five RBIs) in left. Senior Luke Ball, sophomores Jayvien Joseph and Grayson Swanson and transfer Blake Putnam all should see some time as well.

"We just need to play like we can," Cobble said. "If we do, we're going to be fine."