The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles baseball team is the intercollegiate baseball team of Oral Roberts University. It plays in the NCAA Division I Summit League. The team won the Mid-Con and Summit League regular season and tournament titles for 15 years straight between 1998 and 2012. Upon returning to the Summit League, the team repeated the feat in 2015 and 2016. In 2006, they advanced to the NCAA Super Regional.
Key moments
The ORU baseball team advanced to the College World Series in 1978 and has made 22 NCAA tournament appearances overall. In addition, ORU baseball made 15 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 1998 to 2012 and played in the regional finals in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2011, winning the 2006 Regional Championship.
In 2023, the team went 23-1 in Summit League play, winning the regular season and conference tournament titles. As the #4 seed in the Stillwater Regional, they defeated Oklahoma State, Washington, and Dallas Baptist University to advance to the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament. In the Eugene Super Regional, they defeated the host Oregon Ducks to advance to the second College World Series in program history. It was only the third time ever that a #4 seed reached the Men's College World Series. The team went 1-2 in Omaha, finishing the season 52-14, and #8 in the final Coaches Poll of the season.
Notable players
Mike Moore was an ORU standout from 1979–81 and first-round draft pick. He played 14 seasons in the big leagues and was selected an American League All-Star in 1989. He played in consecutive World Series with the Oakland Athletics (1989 and 1990), winning a championship in 1989. Todd Burns (1982–84) was Moore's teammate in Oakland and helped the A's win three straight American League pennants (1988–90) and the 1989 World Series. Keith Lockhart (1985–86) played in the 1999 World Series as a member of the Atlanta Braves and helped that team win five consecutive National League Eastern Division titles. Tom Nieto (1981) played in the 1985 World Series with St. Louis Cardinals and won a championship in 1987 as a member of the Minnesota Twins. Doug Bernier, Michael Hollimon and Steve Holm all made their Major League debuts in 2008. Mike Mason, Keith Miller, Bob Zupcic, Larry Casian and Craig Colbert also played in the Major Leagues.
Notable coaches
Former head coach Larry Cochell guided ORU from 1977–86, leading the school to seven NCAA Regional appearances and the 1978 College World Series. Former coach Sunny Golloway was one of the best skippers in the NCAA Division I, guiding the Golden Eagles to a 294–136 record and five NCAA Regional appearances in seven years at the helm. He was an assistant coach for Team USA in the summer of 2002.
As first year head coach in 2004, Rob Walton guided ORU to the nation's best winning percentage (.820) while also setting a Summit League Conference mark with a 50–11 overall record. The 2004 Golden Eagles were ranked in the Top 20 for 12 consecutive weeks, reaching a high of No. 13 in late May. Walton led ORU to its ninth consecutive Summit League Tournament title and the program's 18th NCAA Regional appearance in 2006. Walton also earned ABCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Golden Eagles to a regional championship and final Top 25 ranking in all three major, a program first. Walton also served as the head coach for USA Baseball's National Team during the summer of 2008.
Chapman Park
Chapman Park has been the home of Golden Eagles baseball since 1978. It hosted its first game on March 6, 1978.
In 2008, a facility was added which includes coaches' offices, a state-of-the-art weight room and the Grand Slam Room in which boosters and fans can watch ORU games in a climate-controlled environment. The facility is located down the right-field line.
Chapman Park has been host to three NCAA Regionals (1978,1980,1981), 14 conference tournaments, and many All-Americans. Many Major Leaguers have played at Chapman Park, including Roger Clemens, Joe Carter, Kirk Gibson, Tony Gwynn, Keith Lockhart, Pete Incaviglia, Kevin McReynolds, Mike Moore, and Robin Ventura.
Following renovations, the ballpark was renamed to Chapman Park in 2025. The venue was formerly named J. L. Johnson Stadium (1977–2025).
H.A. Chapman Indoor Practice Facility
The H.A. Chapman Indoor Practice Facility opened in the Fall of 2009. The facility, located just west of J. L. Johnson Stadium, features indoor practices areas for both baseball and track & field programs. Built at a cost of $1.2 million, the facility was funded exclusively through private donations, including a lead gift from the H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Charitable Trust. The baseball portion of the facility features a regulation-sized infield, three pitching areas and three netted batting cages. The track and field area features a complete pole vault area, high jump pit and long jump and triple jump practice areas.
Mid-Continent Conference/Summit League achievements
Overall Record of 567–222 (.719) 12 Summit League Regular-Season Titles 13 Summit League Tournament Titles 13 NCAA post-season appearances 2006 Regional Champion 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009 NCAA Regional Runner-up Ranked as high as No. 23 nationally in 2008 Ranked as high as No. 24 nationally in 2007 Ranked as high as No. 14 nationally in 2006 Ranked as high as No. 13 nationally in 2004 Ranked as high as No. 20 nationally in 2002 Ranked as high as No. 23 nationally in 1998 Ranked No. 11 nationally in 1987 year end rankings 21 All-Americans 10 Freshman All-Americans 4 Summit League Players of the Year 11 Summit League Pitchers of the Year 88 First Team All-Summit league selections 42 Second Team All-Summit League selections 70 Summit League All-Tournament selections 13 Summit League Tournament MVPs
NCAA First-Team All-Americans selections
1977 Bob Volk 1978 Bill Springman 1981 Mike Moore 1981 Tom Nieto 1982 Keith Mucha 1984 Todd Burns 1999 Jeff Stallings 2004 Dennis Bigley 2008 Brian Van Kirk
Major League Baseball Oral Roberts has had 139 Major League Baseball draft selections since the draft began in 1965. Golden Eagles in the Major League Baseball Draft Year Player Round Team 1973 14 Orioles 1977 1 Pirates 1977 16 White Sox 1978 32 Tigers 1978 31 Cubs 1978 17 Padres 1978 7 Angels 1978 4 Cardinals 1978 4 Astros 1979 1 Dodgers 1979 8 Angels 1980 1 Rangers 1980 1 Astros 1980 22 Braves 1980 13 Astros 1980 8 Yankees 1981 1 Pirates 1981 19 Braves 1981 18 Padres 1981 14 White Sox 1981 11 Phillies 1981 3 Cardinals 1981 2 Giants 1981 1 Mariners 1982 31 Athletics 1983 19 Athletics 1983 16 Reds 1983 15 Giants 1983 14 Orioles 1983 13 Padres 1983 13 Twins 1983 7 Reds 1984 7 Athletics 1984 2 Yankees 1985 3 Rangers 1985 34 Pirates 1985 14 Dodgers 1985 4 Reds 1986 28 Orioles 1986 20 Giants 1986 19 Cubs 1986 11 Reds 1986 6 Giants 1987 38 Phillies 1987 21 Mets 1987 19 Reds 1987 14 Cardinals 1987 5 Giants 1987 1 Red Sox 1988 27 Cardinals 1988 23 Royals 1988 18 Blue Jays 1988 10 Blue Jays 1989 8 Rangers 1990 26 Blue Jays 1991 34 Cardinals 1991 9 Indians 1992 50 Athletics 1993 18 Padres 1995 60 Cardinals 1995 32 Mariners 1996 18 Tigers 1996 9 Phillies 1997 8 Giants 1998 3 Giants 1999 21 Rockies 1999 19 Athletics 1999 18 Astros 2000 47 Giants 2000 41 Tigers 2000 22 Tigers 2000 15 Expos 2000 11 Giants 2001 32 Tigers 2001 20 Indians 2001 17 Giants 2002 21 Expos 2002 8 Tigers 2002 7 Tigers 2003 7 Athletics 2004 47 Tigers 2004 40 Yankees 2004 28 Blue Jays 2004 9 Yankees 2004 9 Red Sox 2005 31 Tigers 2005 27 Red Sox 2005 22 Dodgers 2005 22 Blue Jays 2005 16 Tigers 2006 23 Astros 2006 20 Rockies 2006 7 Brewers 2007 42 Giants 2007 20 Tigers 2007 20 Reds 2007 8 Phillies 2007 5 Padres 2008 41 Diamondbacks 2008 33 Rangers 2008 30 Rockies 2008 26 Rays 2008 22 Angels 2008 21 Blue Jays 2008 18 Angels 2008 18 Rays 2009 46 Giants 2009 11 Brewers 2009 6 Reds 2009 3 Padres 2010 41 Cubs 2010 7 White Sox 2011 40 Blue Jays 2012 11 Tigers 2012 7 Rangers 2013 27 Angels 2013 1 Rangers 2014 23 Rockies 2014 10 Blue Jays 2014 6 Rangers 2015 40 Angels 2015 35 Orioles 2015 27 Athletics 2015 25 Yankees 2015 23 Phillies 2016 16 Cubs 2017 3 Rangers 2017 15 Mets 2017 18 Marlins 2017 36 Twins 2018 18 Diamondbacks 2018 26 Mariners 2018 29 White Sox 2018 29 Rockies 2018 31 Reds 2018 34 Blue Jays 2019 9 Yankees 2019 27 Diamondbacks 2022 10 Red Sox 2022 13 Astros 2023 6 Athletics 2023 6 Rockies 2023 9 Royals 2023 20 Angels 2024 8 Twins 2024 15 Rangers
See also List of NCAA Division I baseball programs
References