OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City Baseball team opens its 2025 season with high hopes upon Opening Day on Saturday in a doubleheder against Friends.

Key Returners
1B - Trent Kiraly - .369 AVG / .437 OBP / 1.180 OPS / 69 H, 59 RBI / 19 HR - First Team All-SAC
2B - Hunter Lenochan - .330 AVG / .846 OPS / 62 H / 7 2B / 30 RBI / 5 HR - SAC Gold Glove
CF - Aiden Alexander - .328 AVG / .788 OPS / 59 H / 27 RBI / 18 SB - SAC Gold Glove
LF - Barrett Daniel - .226 AVG / .467 SLG / .785 OPS / 10 HR 

RHP - Jacob Burkett - 6.22 ERA / 5-3 / 55.0 IP / 12-11 APP-GS / CG
LHP - Andrew Limabugh - 3.59 ERA / 7-3 / 80.1 IP / 14-12 APP-GS / 2 CG
LHP - Cade Kelsey - 4.71 ERA / 2-1 / 21.0 IP / 11-0 APP-GS 

Key Losses
Chad Pike - .321 AVG / 1.141 OPS / 44 H / 7 2B / 15 HR | 1.40 ERA / 21 APP / 14 SV - SAC Player/Pitcher of the Year
Tristan Williams - .268 AVG / .802 OPS / 52-52 GP-GS / 45 H / 31 R / 15 2B / 5 HR
Kade Shatwell - 3.67 ERA / 7-2 / 10-10 APP-GS / 54.0 IP / CG

Key Newcomers
INF/C - Jr - Jeffrey Martz - University of Oklahoma/Gateway CC
INF - Jr - Jack Johnson - Santa Barbara JC
LHP - Jr - Dalton Campbell - Hill CC
SS - Fr - Will Ellis - Northern HS
1B - Sr - Nic Bennett - University of the Ozarks

2024 Review
Oklahoma City opened its season 8-0 last year while defeating No. 7 Bellevue in early February. The Stars went through their ups and downs before earning victories over No. 22 Central Methodist and Columbia College who was receiving votes. In its final non-conference bout the Stars came away with a series win over No. 25 Freede-Hardeman leading them into Sooner Athletic Conference play where OCU finished second in the conference at 17-7. Oklahoma City won three consecutive games including a comeback victory over Nelson to advance to the SAC Championship where the Stars fell short of MACU 12-6. The season came to a close in Lewiston, Idaho during the NAIA Opening Round with losses to Arizona Christian and Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) closing the campaign at 35-18. 

Oklahoma City tabbed six members to the all-conference list including Chad Pike who became the first player in program history to be a first team all-conference selections at two positions, shortstop and relief pitcher. Trent Kiraly, Reese Ratchford and Kade Shatwell joined Pike on the first team while Darian Duhon made second team along with Hunter Lenochan and Aiden Alexander were awarded Gold Gloves for their play in the field. 

2025 Preview
Oklahoma City returns the majority of its offense in Kiraly, Lenochan, Alexander and Daniel. Kiraly, a senior from Farmington, N.M. will be on watch for SAC Player of the Year after leading the conference with 19 home runs a season ago while holding the team lead in hits (67) and in RBI (59) as well as being second on the team with 13 doubles. Kiraly finished the year batting .374 and saw his season-high in hits come against Sterling on Apr. 23 where the senior went off with a 4-for-4 game while hitting two home runs, collecting five RBI a double and four runs scored. Aiden Alexander and Hunter Lenochan will lead the Stars defense as both were awarded Gold Glove's at their respective positions. Alexander, regarded as one of the nations best center fielders has made plenty of diving, run saving plays this season while coming away with 108 putouts, two assists and just one error giving Alexander a .991 fielding percentage. Lenochan has been solid all year as the team's second basemen having 95 putouts and 97 assists to go along with a .970 fielding percentage. 

Jacob Burkett and Andrew Limbaugh return to the team looking to lead the Stars rotation. Burkett put together one of his best outings in the SAC Semifinal against Nelson last season  where he went a season-high eight innings pitched allowing five runs on seven hits to go along with two walks and three strikeouts. After giving up five runs in the second, Burkett dialed in a shutout the Lions for the rest of the way as the junior gave up just one hit and two base runners outside of the second inning. Limbaugh on the other hand came into his own becoming a huge piece to the rotation after throwing eight straight game of at least six innings while collecting two outings with 10 or more strikeouts. 

Oklahoma City gets its season underway on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 12:00 PM with a doubleheader against Friends on Denney Crabaugh Field at Jim Wade Stadium. This will start a stretch of 18 straight home games to begin the season with six ranked schools on the schedule. The Stars will open Sooner Athletic Conference Play on Feb. 21 at home against Southwestern Christian. 

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