Baseball returns to ONEOK Field next week, but it’s not the professional minor league variety. The Tulsa Drillers organization will operate a team in the Texas Collegiate League, and host a high school all-star series. For baseball starved fans, this is good news.
The TCL is like other summer college baseball leagues around the country, in which the players use wooden bats, making it similar to watching the minor leaguers play. The league will run a 30-game schedule, with 15 home games for the Drillers.
Like the Drillers, many of the teams in the TCL will be based in the same ballparks used by the minor league teams in the Texas League. Tulsa will play in the North Division with the Amarillo Sod Dogs, Amarillo Sod Squad, Frisco RoughRiders, and Texarkana Twins.
The South Division will be comprised of the Acadiana Cane Cutters, Brazos Valley Bombers, Round Rock Hairy Men, San Antonio Flying Chanclas, and Victoria Generals.
I have to admit, some of the team names are quite unique and original.
Former Oklahoma State University baseball coach Tom Holliday will manage the Tulsa team, and the coaches will be, 14-year major league veteran Mickey Tettleton, former Tulsa Drillers and Cincinnati Reds coach Randy Whisler, and former Tampa Bay Rays minor league player Cody Semler.
Holliday was an NCAA baseball coach for four decades. He was the pitching coach at OSU for 19 years (1978 – 1996), and became the school’s head baseball coach in 1997. His 1999 Cowboys squad reached the College World Series. After leaving OSU, Holliday served as the pitching coach at the University of Texas (2004-2006), North Carolina State University (2007-2014) and Auburn University (2015). While at UT, the Longhorns won the National Championship in 2005.
Tettleton and Whisler were both players at OSU during Holliday’s time there. Tettleton was a part of the 1981 Cowboys squad that advanced to the title game of the College World Series. Whisler’s teams made four straight appearances in the College World Series from 1982-1985.
For all Drillers home games in the TCL, capacity at ONEOK Field will be cut to approximately 33% as safe-distancing standards will be observed due to COVID-19 restrictions and limitations. Tickets are on sale now for all the Drillers home games and can be purchased online or at the ONEOK Field ticket office. Check www.tulsadrillers.com for more information.
DRILLERS HOME SCHEDULE (All games 7 p.m.)
- June 30 – July 2 vs Frisco
- July 7 – 9 vs Ama. Sod Squad
- July 14 – 16 vs Ama. Sod Dogs
- July 17 – 19 vs Texarkana
- July 24 – 26 vs Victoria
There will be post-game fireworks shows on July 2, 17, 18, 24, and 25.
DRILLER HOST H.S. STARS
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic spring high school sports came to a premature end. The cancellation of the seasons left a void for graduating seniors; however, the Tulsa Drillers and the Tulsa Area Baseball Coaches Association have developed a plan to give many of the Tulsa area seniors a chance to wear their school colors one final time. ONEOK Field will host the High School Senior Baseball Series on July 3 and 4, presented by Tulsa Tech.
There will be one game each night, beginning at 7:00 p.m., with post-game Independence Holiday Fireworks Shows following each game.
“I would like to thank the Tulsa Drillers for reaching out to our association and hosting our annual All-Star Game,” said Pat Foster, Head Baseball Coach at Metro Christian and President of the Tulsa Area Baseball Coaches Association. “This gives many seniors in the Tulsa area who lost their season a chance to play another game.”
The game on July 3 will feature the East versus West squads. The East squad will consist of seniors from Claremore, Glenpool, Jenks, Edison, Pryor and Metro Christian. The West will have players from Bixby, Cascia Hall, Holland Hall, Sapulpa and Kiefer.
On July 4, the game will have the North facing the South. The North roster will feature players from Verdigris, Bishop Kelley, Sand Springs, Owasso, Victory Christian, Liberty and Coweta. The South roster will have players from Broken Arrow, Union and Regent Prep.
Rosters can be found on the Drillers web site. Fans will be allowed to attend games, but COVID-19 restrictions and limitations will apply. Capacity at ONEOK Field will be less than half of normal capacity as safe-distancing standards will be observed.
Tickets are priced at $12 for Homeplate Premium, $10 for Field Reserved and $6 for General Admission.