2021 BAYLOR BASEBALL GAME NOTES GAMES 1-3: UTRGV 2016-17 BAYLOR BASKETBALL GAME NOTES BASEBALLGAME 1 — ORAL ROBERTS GAME NOTES GAMES 1-3 BAYLOR (0-0) AT UTRGV (0-0) Feb. 21-22 • 11 a.m./2 p.m./1 p.m. • Watch: WACDigitalNetwork.com • Radio: 101.3 FM • Stats: GoUTRGV.com • Edinburg, Texas • UTRGV Stadium (4,000) (Closed to the public) • Social Media: @BaylorBaseball STORY LINES • For the first time since March of 2020, the Bears are back in action with three-game road series at the University of SCHEDULE/RESULTS Texas Rio Grande Valley beginning on Sunday with a doubleheader at 11 a.m., with the finale coming on Monday at 1 p.m. Date Opponent Time/Result • Head Coach Steve Rodriguez enters his sixth year at the helm for the Bears, sporting a 140-98 overall record. Feb. 19-21 Jacksonville State Canceled Rodriguez is 3-2 at BU in season-opening games, while winning the last four season-opening series. Feb. 21 at UTRGV (DH) 11 a.m./2 p.m. Feb. 22 at UTRGV 1 p.m. • The strength of BU’s Bullpen in 2020 was on another level with Luke Boyd, Logan Freeman, Tyler Thomas combin- Feb. 26 Texas A&M# 6 p.m. CT ing for a 0.33 ERA in 27 IP between the trio. Feb. 27 Auburn# 12 p.m. CT • Baylor returns seven of nine position player starters, including second-year freshman outfielder Jared McKenzie Feb. 28 Oklahoma# 5 p.m. CT who was named a 2020 Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball), after hitting .406 with 28 base knocks in 16 March 2 Sam Houston State 6:30 p.m. CT games. March 5 Memphis 6:30 p.m. CT March 6 Memphis (DH) 2 p.m. CT • Three Bears were selected to the 2021 Preseason All-Big 12 Team with Luke Boyd, Jared McKenzie and Andy March 7 Memphis 12 p.m. CT Thomas all earning the distinction. March 13 vs. UTSA! 1 p.m. CT • BU has finished its home schedule with a .500 record or better in all 21 seasons at Baylor Ballpark (since 1999) March 13 @ LSU 6:30 p.m. CT and is 459-206 all-time at the park. This season BU has 27 scheduled home games at Baylor Ballpark. March 16 UTSA 6:30 p.m. CT March 17 Prairie View A&M 6:30 p.m. CT PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS March 19 Texas* 6:30 p.m. CT March 20 Texas* 3 p.m. CT BAYLOR UTRGV March 21 Texas* 1 p.m. CT Sun. | 3Y-SO RHP Blake Helton (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. R-SR RHP Kevin Stevens (0-0, 0.00 ERA) March 23 @ UT Arlington 6:30 p.m. CT March 26 at TCU* 6:30 p.m. CT Sun. | 4Y-JR LHP Tyler Thomas (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. GR RHP Kevin Palm (0-0, 0.00 ERA) March 27 at TCU* 2 p.m. CT Mon. | 5Y-SR RHP Jimmy Winston (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. R-SO RHP J.C. Ariza (0-0, 0.00 ERA) March 28 at TCU* 1 p.m. CT March 30 Texas State 6:30 p.m. CT April 1 NC A&T 6:30 p.m. CT April 2 NC A&T (DH) 2 p.m. CT April 3 NC A&T 1 p.m. CT SERIES INFO BAYLOR (2020 STATS) 0-0 April 6 UT Arlington 6:30 p.m. CT Date: Feb. 21-22 (Sun-Mon.) April 9 West Virginia* 6:30 p.m. CT 2020 Offensive Leaders Game Times: (DH) 11 a.m./2 p.m./1 p.m. April 10 West Virginia* 3 p.m. CT Batting Average- Jared McKenzie (.406) April 11 West Virginia* 1 p.m. CT Site: Baylor Ballpark April 16 @ Kansas* 6 p.m. CT TV/Stream: WACDigitalNetwork.com Runs- Jared McKenzie (12) April 17 @ Kansas* 2 p.m. CT • Talent: Jonah Goldberg (pxp), Danny Elizondo (color) 2B- Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo (5) April 18 @ Kansas* 1 p.m. CT HR- Mack Mueller (4) April 23 @ Texas Tech* 6:30 p.m. CT Radio: 101.3fm | TuneIn app • Talent: Derek Smith (pxp), Alex Phillips (color) RBI- Nick Loftin (15) April 24 @ Texas Tech* 2 p.m. CT Stolen Bases- Jared McKenzie (4) April 25 @ Texas Tech* 2 p.m. CT Live Stats: GoUTRGV.com April 27 Prairie View A&M 6:30 p.m. CT Twitter Updates: @BaylorBaseball.com May 7 Kansas State* 6:30 p.m. CT Series History: 1-0 (UTRGV) UTRGV (2020 STATS) 0-0 May 8 Kansas State* 3 p.m. CT Streak: BU has won the only meeting May 9 Kansas State* 1 p.m. CT First Meeting: Feb. 26, 2020 (BU won, 2-0) Head Coach: Derek Matlock (4th season) May 11 Incarnate Word 6:30 p.m. CT Last Meeting: Feb. 26, 2020 (BU won, 2-0) May 14 @ Oklahoma State* 6 p.m. Career Record: 68-59 May 15 @ Oklahoma State* 1 p.m. Under Rodriguez: 1-0 May 16 @ Oklahoma State* 1 p.m. 2020 Offensive Leaders May 20 Oklahoma* 6:30 p.m. CT Batting Average: Diaz/Atwood (.309) May 21 Oklahoma* 3 p.m. CT 2B: Diaz (7) May 22 Oklahoma* 1 p.m. CT May 26-30 Big 12 Tournament % HR: Coleman Grubbs (2) June 4-6 NCAA Regionals RBI: Conrado Diaz (15) June 11-13 NCAA Super Regionals June 19-29 NCAA College World Series^ POTENTIAL STARTING LINEUP (2020 STATS) *Big 12 Conference game # Dell Diamond (Round Rock Classic) Pos. # Player AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB-SBA BB ! Played in Baton Rouge, La. C 25 Andy Thomas .213 47 5 10 0 0 2 7 1-1 11 % Bricktown Ballpark, OKC ^ TD Ameritrade Park, Omaha 1B 37 Chase Wehsener .224 58 7 13 3 0 3 4 0-0 2 2B 11 Ricky Martinez .293 41 9 12 4 0 1 11 0-0 4 3B 12 Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo .240 50 9 12 5 0 0 5 1-2 6 SS 32 Tre Richardson .179 28 4 5 0 1 0 3 0-0 4 LF 23 Kyle Nevin .350 40 5 14 0 2 0 3 1-1 1 CF 18 Jared McKenzie .406 69 12 28 3 0 0 5 4-5 5 RF 9 Davion Downey .389 36 5 14 3 0 2 6 2-2 5 DH 8 Kyle Harper .059 17 2 1 0 0 1 2 0-0 0 @BAYLORBASEBALL 1 GAMES 1-3: UTRGV 2021 BAYLOR BASEBALL GAME NOTES 2021 QUICK FACTS TEAM QUICK NOTES LAST SEASON UNIVERSITY • The Bears were coming off a Shriner’s Classic sweep over Mizzou, No. 11 LSU and No. 6 Arkansas, and a road Location: Waco, Texas Chartered: 1845, by Republic of Texas series win over Cal Poly when their season was cut short due to COVID-19. Baylor finished the 2020 campaign 10-6 Enrollment: 19,297 and a team that was ranked in the top 30 in the country in double plays and shutouts in the brief season. Conference: Big 12 Colors: Green (PMS 560) & Gold (PMS 1235) Nickname: Bears THREE BEARS SELECTED TO THE PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM Mascots: Joy and Lady (live Black Bears) • Fifth-year seniors Andy Thomas and Luke Boyd, along with second-year freshman Jared McKenzie were tabbed President: Dr. Linda A. Livingstone to the 2021 Preseason All-Big 12 Team the league announce in January. It marks the second-straight year that Faculty Representative: Dr. Carson Mencken Thomas has earned the conference honor, it is the first for Boyd and McKenzie. In addition, for the third straight Director of Athletics: Mack Rhoades year Thomas was named to the Bobby Bragan Slugger Award Watch List, while Boyd was named to the NCBWA Sport Administrator: Chad Jackson All-American First Team. Athletic Department Phone: 254.710.1234 Ticket Information Phone: 254.710.1000 Stadium (capacity): Baylor Ballpark at Ferrell Field (5,000) SUPER SENIORS Largest Crowd: 5,911 (4/21/12 vs. Texas A&M) • With the NCAA granting another year of eligibility to spring sports, six 2020 Baylor baseball seniors decided to Dimensions: 330-400-330 come back in 2021. Five pitchers including, Luke Boyd, Logan Freeman, Hayden Kettler, Ryan Leckich and Jimmy Press Box Phone: 254.754.5546 Winston are all back, along with veteran catcher Andy Thomas. BASEBALL HISTORY First Season: 1902 BULLISH BULLPEN All-Time Record: 2,370-1,740-6 (.576) • The Bears return have one of the strongest bullpens in the country returning in 2021, with Luke Boyd, Logan All-Time Big 12 Record: 335-283 (.542) Freeman, Tyler Thomas and Ryan Leckich all back for BU. Thomas and Freeman in 16 combined relief appearances Overall Postseason Record: 45-48 (.489) NCAA Regional Appearances: 21 in 2020 did not allow a single run and only allowed four hits in their 16 combined innings of work. Boyd tied for the NCAA Super Regional Appearances: 4most in the nation in saves with six in the shortened season, while posting an 0.82 ERA with 16 strikeouts in nine CWS Appearances: 3 (1977, 1978, 2005) appearances. Leckich is back for his fifth year with the program and is coming off 2020 with a 2.45 ERA in 7.1 Last NCAA Appearance: 2019 (Los Angeles Regional) innings of work. Conference Titles: 5 (1923, 1966, 2000, 2005, 2012) 2020 REVIEW CLOSING TIME 2020 Overall Record: 10-6 • Since the arrival of head coach Steve Rodriguez and pitching coach Jon Strauss in 2016, the Bears have had elite 2020 Big 12 Record (Finish): 0-0 arms at the back of the bullpen.