Baseball Preview: No. 16 Baylor vs. No. 24 TCU
3/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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GAME 19 •
No. 16 BAYLOR (11-7)
vs.
No. 24 TCU (12-5)
BAYLOR BALLPARK •
THE SERIES
Overall Record: Baylor leads 129-98
Neutral Site: TCU leads 5-1
Unknown Sites: Baylor leads 16-7
Smith vs. TCU: 10-10
Last Meeting: Baylor 4, at TCU 0 [
COACHES
BAYLOR:
Alma Mater: Baylor, 1986
Career Record: 383-241-1 (11th season)
Record at Baylor: 383-241-1 (11th season)
TCU: Jim Schlossnagle
Alma Mater: Elon, 1992
Career Record: 128-78 (4th season)
Record at TCU: 51-31 (2nd season)
BAYLOR RADIO NETWORK
ESPN/KRZI 1660 AM (
Lark Smith, color
INTERNET FEEDS
GameTracker: www.BaylorBears.com
Audio: www.BaylorBears.com
Video: www.BaylorBears.com
BAYLOR NATIONAL RANKINGS
Baseball
Sports Weekly/ESPN/Coaches 19th
NCBWA 27th
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUP
TUESDAY, MARCH 15
BU - RHP Sean Walker (1-2, 5.62 ERA)
TCU - RHP Tim McGough (2-0, 1.88 ERA)
Baylor returns to action Tuesday, March 15, hosting TCU for a single game at Baylor Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for
The Bears (11-7) posted its first three-game series sweep since 2003 last weekend, defeating Vanderbilt 9-4, 16-5 and 4-1 at Nashville. Baylor is ranked 16th in this week's Baseball America Top 25.
The Horned Frogs (12-5) dropped two of three over the weekend at Rice. TCU won Friday's series opener 2-1 but lost the next two 15-5 and 2-1, respectively. The Frogs are ranked 24th nationally in this week's Baseball America Top 25.
All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on ESPN/KRZI 1660 AM in
Live streaming video also is available for Tuesday's game. For more information, visit the BearCasts link at www.BaylorBears.com.
LEADING OFF
BAYLOR CLIMBS THREE IN BASEBALL
On the strenghth of its three-game sweep at then-No. 8 Vanderbilt, Baylor climbed three spots to No. 16 in this week's Baseball America Top 25. The Bears are one of four Big 12 Conference schools ranked in this week's poll, joining top-ranked
Baylor's strenuous schedule continues this week as the Bears play four games against ranked opponents, concluding a stretch of seven consecutive games against Top 25 teams. The Bears host 24th-ranked TCU Tuesday before kicking off Big 12 play this weekend with the annual split series against
Cal State Fullerton follows
In the other polls, Baylor climbled four spots to No. 19 in the Sports Weekly/ESPN Coaches' Poll and three spots to No. 27 in the National
QUICK NOTES
• Baylor and TCU meet for the 228th time Tuesday, the third most-played series in Baylor baseball history. The Bears hold a 129-98 advantage in the series, including a 65-39 advantage in
• Tuesday will be RHP Sean Walker's 36th career start, moving into a tie with Alan Koonce (1982-85) for ninth on Baylor's all-time list.
• The Bears jumped three spots to No. 16 in this week's Baseball America Top 25.
• Other polls: Baylor is 19th in the Sports Weekly/ESPN Coaches' Poll, 27th in the National
• At 6-1, Baylor and
• 21 of Baylor's first 26 games this season are against teams ranked in one of the four major polls at some point this season, including 20 consecutive weekend games after the season-opener against as yet unranked
• Baylor's sweep of Vanderbilt was its first three-game series sweep since doing so against
• The sweep also was just the second in school history against an opponent ranked in the top 10 nationally. The Bears swept then-No. 6 Southern
• Baylor has won five straight road games for the first time since early in the 2003 season.
• Last season, Baylor did not score an eighth-inning run until the 22nd game of the season. Through 18 games this season, the Bears have scored six eighth-inning runs. The Bears entered the second week of March last season with only three runs scored after the seventh inning. This season, the Bears have scored 22 runs after the seventh inning.
• The Bears are 10-2 this season when the starting pitcher goes at least 5.0 innings.
• Baylor is 7-1 this season when scoring first.
• The Bears are 6-0 when leading after three innings, 7-0 when leading after five and 9-0 when leading after the sixth inning or later.
• Since allowing four runs in the first inning of his Feb. 27 start at Arizona State, RHP Mark McCormick has allowed three runs, two earned, on 10 hits with seven walks and 18 strikeouts over 18.1 innings (0.98 ERA). Opposing batters are hitting .156 (10-for-64) against McCormick in that time.
• RHP Ryan LaMotta made his 69th career appearance Sunday, moving into a ninth-place tie all-time at Baylor with Jason Jennings (1997-99). That also was LaMotta's 66th career relief appearance; he now is tied with Paul Thorp (2000-02) for fourth in school history in that category.
• Tuesday was RHP Sean Walker's 36th career start; that puts him in a tie with Aaron Lineweaver (1993-95) for 10th all-time at Baylor.
• Reynolds has reached safely in 17 of 18 games this season. Since
• LHP Trey Taylor has not allowed more than four earned runs in 16 consecutive starts.
• Over his last 13 starts,
• LF Reid Brees, who led the Big 12 with a .404 in-conference batting average last year, saw his average raise nearly 100 points over the last six games, going 9-for-21 (.429) in that time with four doubles, a home run and six RBI.
• DH/C Zach Dillon has hit safely in seven straight starts (pinch-hit sacrifice fly last Tuesday vs.
• C/DH Josh Ford has reached safely in 13 consecutive games and in 17 of 18 games this season. His seven-game hitting streak was snapped Sunday. In that streak, he hit .407 (11-for-27) with six doubles, a home run and nine RBI.
• LaMotta has pitched scoreless ball in eight of 10 appearances this season.
• Saturday was LHP Cory VanAllen's first career victory on an opponent's home field.
• 2B Michael Griffin entered the week with only three RBI on the season and now has nine.
• Baylor's infield of Reynolds,
• The Bears turned their first
• Baylor's leadoff batter has reached base in 70 of 162 innings this season (43.2 percent); 39 times that base runner has scored (55.7 percent). The Bears have scored in 55 innings this season; the leadoff batter reached base safely in 39 of those innings (70.9 percent).
• Entering the 2005 season, 2B Michael Griffin is the NCAA active career leader in games played (189), at bats (782) and hits (243). He also is third and one shy of the lead in doubles (50), second and two shy of the lead in RBI (166), and third and four shy of the lead in total bases (405).
• Since the start of the Big 12 in 1997, the Bears have the league's best conference record at 137-83 (.623). Baylor leads all conference schools in both first-team All-Big 12 selections (21) and first-team Academic All-Big 12 selections (47), and the Bears are the only Big 12 Conference program to have ranked in the top 10 nationally at some point during each of the past eight seasons (1998-2005).
BAYLOR STARTER
RHP Sean Walker (1-2, 5.62) makes his fifth appearance and fourth start of the 2005 season Tuesday. In 8.0 innings this season,
THE TCU SERIES
Baylor and TCU meet for the 228th time Tuesday; the Bears hold a 129-98 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to the 1904 season. This is the third-most played series in Baylor Baseball history behind only
Baylor holds a 65-39 advantage in the series in games played in
THE TCU HORNED FROGS
TCU (12-5) is its second season under the direction of head coach Jim Schlossnagle, a 1992 Elon graduate. Schlossnagle took over the reigns of the Frogs' program in the summer of 2003 after two seasons as head coach at UNLV. Schlossnagle has a career record of 128-78, including a 51-31 mark at TCU.
TCU Notes: The Horned Frogs saw a seven-game winning streak end last Saturday, falling 15-5 at Rice after defeating the Owls 2-1 in Friday's series opener. TCU also dropped Sunday's series finale 2-1. ... TCU is 2-2 this season against teams ranked in this week's Baseball America Top 25. ... Ranked 21st nationally in Baseball
FORD, REYNOLDS ON WALLACE AWARD WATCH LIST
1B Kyle Reynolds was added to the Brooks Wallace Award watch list Tuesday. Reynolds joins C Josh Ford in the running for the award, which is presented to the nation's top collegiate player by the College Baseball Foundation. Cal State Fullerton catcher Kurt Suzuki won the initial Brooks Wallace Award last season.
The Wallace Watch will be trimmed to 12 semi-finalists by May 24. The selection committee then will narrow the list to three finalists following the NCAA Super Regionals.
The award is dedicated to the memory of former Texas Tech shortstop and assistant coach Brooks Wallace. A four-year starter from 1977 to 1980, Wallace was named All-Southwest Conference and All-District VI his senior year when he lead the Red Raiders to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference Tournament. After playing two years in the Texas Rangers organization, he returned to Texas Tech and served as a graduate assistant and later as an assistant coach. In the summer of 1984, Wallace was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease courageously until his death
The selection committee for the Wallace Award is comprised of a national panel of coaches, sports information directors, former winners and media. Screening Committee members will evaluate the candidates and will continue their review throughout the entire baseball season. Additional Wallace Watch candidates may be added as the season progresses. Voting for the three finalists and the Wallace Award winner will be conducted by confidential balloting, with totals tabulated by the J.W. Anderson & Associates accounting firm in
WOODY NAMED TO STOPPER WATCH LIST
RHP Abe Woody has been named to the initial watch list for the 2005 National Stopper of the Year Award, sponsored by the National
A product of Round Rock [
At the end the regular season, the Division I leader in saves and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as the award's finalists. These finalists will be released June 1, just prior to the beginning of NCAA regional play. From the list of finalists, the NCBWA's All-America Committee will select a winner. The inaugural winner will be announced on June 8, two days prior to the beginning of NCAA Super Regional action.
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Xanthus-Dick Howser Trophy to the nation's top player. It also selects a Division I All-America Team, Division I and III Players of the Week, Division I District Players of the Year and Division III Players of the Year.
RECORD CROWD SHOWS FOR HOME OPENER
Baylor's home opener against Texas-Arlington drew a crowd of 3,721, the largest opening-day attendance in school history. It also was the largest midweek attendance in Baylor Ballpark history, eclipsing the previous mark of 3,139 established
SCHEDULE AGAIN AMONG NATION'S TOUGHEST
Baylor ranked 10th nationally in strength of schedule last season, and 2005 does not appear to be any easier. The Bears' 2005 schedule ranks as the nation's fourth most-difficult, according to BoydsWorld.com. In 2003, Baylor's schedule was deemed the nation's toughest in the preseason and was ranked fifth by season's end.
The 2005 Bears play 25 games against nine teams ranked in the Baseball America Preseason Top 25. Along with three ranked Big 12 opponents, the Bears face
From the weekend of Feb. 18-20 to the weekend of March 25-27, the Bears have five consecutive weekend series against teams ranked in Baseball
BEARS BEST IN THE BIG 12
Baylor has the best conference record of any team in the Big 12 Conference since the league's start in 1997. At 137-83 (.623), the Bears are ahead of Texas Tech (137-86-1; .614) and
On top of that, Baylor is the only Big 12 Conference school to have ranked in the top 10 nationally during each of the past eight seasons (1998-2005). Baylor joins
Including the 2004 totals, Baylor leads all conference schools in Big 12 history in both first-team All-Big 12 selections (21) and in first-team Academic All-Big 12 selections (41).
HEAD COACH Steve Smith
Smith has compiled a 383-241-1 (.614) career record, all at Baylor. He holds the best winning percentage of any coach in Baylor baseball history, and he ranks second among the program's 18 head coaches in career victories. Smith has led Baylor to six NCAA Regional appearances, two NCAA Super Regional appearances and the 2000 Big 12 Conference title. He also has coached 12 All-America selections and seven USA Baseball National Team members while at Baylor.
In January 2005, Smith was named head coach of the USA Baseball National Team for the upcoming summer. Smith is just the second Big 12 Conference coach to serve as head coach of the national team. He also previously served as an assistant coach under his former
Smith led the Bears to their first-ever 50-win season in 1999 and a Big 12 championship in 2000, and piloted the team to six straight NCAA appearances from 1998 to 2003. His Bears have the best conference record in the Big 12 since the league began. Through the 2004 season, Smith ranked 47th nationally among active coaches in winning percentage with a .628 mark, fourth among Big 12 coaches.
The 2000 Big 12 Coach of the Year, Smith came to Baylor from
A former standout pitcher at Baylor in 1982-1983, Smith led the Southwest Conference with a 1.72 ERA as a junior. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1983 Major League Draft by the San Francisco Giants and played four years of pro ball before moving into the coaching ranks.
An accomplished pitching coach, Smith has tutored six pitchers in the last 12 years who were selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft. He also had at least one pitcher named to the all-conference first team for 11 straight years (1992-2002).
In Smith's 10 seasons as head coach, the Bears have produced four first-round draft picks, 10 All-Americans, six Academic All-Americans, one National Player of the Year, one GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, 25 first-team all-conference performers, nine freshman All-Americans, and three conference players of the year. Baylor has also placed a league-leading 41 players on the Academic All-Big 12 first team in the past eight seasons.
BAYLORBEARS.COM
Baylor's official athletic web site can be found at www.BaylorBears.com. The comprehensive site, which includes releases,
STREAMING VIDEO AVAILABLE FOR SELECT GAMES
Live streaming video is available for select games during the 2004 season. A total of 24 games will be available online at www.BaylorBears.com, the official website of Baylor athletics and a member of the College Sports Online network. Seventeen of the 24 webcasts will be against Big 12 Conference opponents, including the Bears' three-game league sets against Oklahoma, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Missouri, as well as the home portion of the Texas series.
Fans may purchase the games for $4.95 per game or $9.95 for a three-series. Fans also have the option of purchasing monthly ($6.95) or annual ($49.95) subscriptions which include all BearCasts in that time period. These remaining games will be available in the BearCast package:
March 15 - TCU
March 19 and 20 -
April 1, 2 and 3 -
April 5 -
April 8, 9, 10 -
April 29, 30, May 1 -
May 13, 14, 15 -
May 20, 21, 22 -
BAYLOR BASEBALL RADIO NETWORK
Catch every inning of Baylor baseball in 2005 on the flagship station for Baylor athletics, ESPN/KRZI 1660 AM Waco.
Smith, whose attachment to Baylor baseball dates back to the days of coach Dutch Schroeder, was Sports Director for the Baylor campus radio station in the late 1970s and served as play-by-play voice for the Bears' 1977 and 1978 College World Series teams. After nearly two decades in broadcasting, Smith now works for the Heart O'Texas Federal Credit Union in
Live streaming audio for all 2005 Baylor baseball games are available on the Internet at www.BaylorBears.com. BU baseball is also a staple of the daily "Baylor SportsBeat" hosted by
INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour look at the world of Baylor athletics, airs weekly throughout
UP NEXT ...
Baylor begins Big 12 Conference play this weekend with a split series against top-ranked
