OSU Baseball Releases 2017 Schedule, Cowboys Aim For Return To College World Series

Coming off the 20th College World Series appearance in program history, Oklahoma State will look to continue its success under fifth-year head coach Josh Holliday in 2017, and the Cowboys will face a formidable schedule during the upcoming season.
 
Seven NCAA tourney teams from a year ago highlight OSU's 2017 slate. Three of those — Arizona, TCU and Texas Tech — were College World Series teams in 2016.
 
"Once again, we've tried to schedule in a way that will prepare us for the conference and prepare us for the types of teams and situations that postseason play will demand. Last year's schedule very much did that for us, and this year is the same," Holliday said. "We open with a challenging trip to Arizona, we have a trip to Frisco for a tournament that features College World Series-caliber teams and then a home schedule that has some of the very best midweek baseball in the country along with a traditional Big 12 schedule.
 
"Week-in and week-out, we will be challenged every time we put our uniform on. That's ultimately what we want and what our ballclub needs. We're looking forward to it, and I think our fans are going to enjoy some great baseball."
 
OSU opens the 2017 season Feb. 17-19 with a three-game road series at Grand Canyon and will remain in Phoenix for a midweek contest at Arizona State on Feb. 21.
 
Following the road trip to Arizona, the Cowboys return home for the first of 32 games at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium when OSU hosts Texas State in a weekend series.
 
On March 3-5, Holliday's ballclub will take part in the inaugural Frisco College Baseball Classic at Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas, home of the Double A Frisco RoughRiders. OSU opens the tourney against Nebraska before battling Arizona, the team that knocked the Cowboys out of the College World Series in 2016, and concluding play against Arkansas.
 
After the Frisco tourney, the Cowboys return to Stillwater for the first of two 10-game homestands on the year. The homestand begins with Missouri State, includes a two-game midweek series against New Mexico and concludes with a non-conference Bedlam game against Oklahoma.
 
For the fourth-straight season and 12th time in the last 14 years, OSU begins Big 12 Conference play on the road as the Cowboys will be at TCU on March 24-26. OSU also travels to Kansas and Texas Tech in league play.
 
The Cowboys' conference home-opening series is against West Virginia on March 31-April 2, and they will also host Kansas State, Texas and Baylor in 2017.
 
The Bedlam Series against Oklahoma is set for the final week of the regular season, with the rivals squaring off in Tulsa on Thursday, May 18, before moving to Oklahoma City for the final two games.
 
Postseason play gets underway at the Big 12 Baseball Championship in Oklahoma City on May 24-28, with NCAA Regionals beginning June 1. The 2017 College World Series is set to begin on June 17.