Baseball Preview: No. 19 Baylor at No. 8 Vanderbilt
3/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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GAMES 16-18 •
No. 19 BAYLOR (8-7)
at
No. 8 VANDERBILT (12-0)
CHARLES HAWKINS FIELD •
THE SERIES
Overall Record: Tied 2-2
Neutral Site: Never Met
Smith vs. Vanderbilt: 2-2
Last Meeting: Vandy 11, at Baylor 7 [
COACHES
BAYLOR: Steve Smith
Alma Mater: Baylor, 1986
Career Record: 380-241-1 (11th season)
Record at Baylor: 380-241-1 (11th season)
VANDERBILT: Tim Corbin
Alma Mater:
Career Record: 84-47 (3rd season)
Record at Vandy: 84-47 (3rd season)
BAYLOR RADIO NETWORK
ESPN/KRZI 1660 AM (
Tom Barfield, play-by-play
Lark Smith, color
INTERNET FEEDS
GameTracker: www.BaylorBears.com
Audio: www.BaylorBears.com
Video: www.commodores.com
BAYLOR NATIONAL RANKINGS
Baseball
Sports Weekly/ESPN/Coaches 29th
NCBWA 30th
Collegiate Baseball NR
PROJECTED PITCHING ROTATION
FRIDAY, MARCH 11
BU - LHP Trey
VU - LHP Ryan Mullins (2-0, 3.93)
SATURDAY, MARCH 12
BU - LHP Cory VanAllen (2-2, 5.14)
VU - RHP Jensen Lewis (3-0, 0.46)
SUNDAY, MARCH 13
BU - RHP Mark McCormick (1-1, 5.14)
VU - RHP Matt Buschmann (2-0, 0.60)
Baylor concludes returns to action this weekend, traveling to
The Bears (8-7), ranked 19th in this week's Baseball America Top 25, look to rebound from a 5-4 loss Tuesday night at home against
Meanwhile, the Commodores (12-0) are ranked eighth in this week's Baseball America Top 25 and are off to the best start in the program's history. Vanderbilt swept a three-game series at home last weekend against
All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on ESPN/KRZI 1660 AM in
LEADING OFF
BAYLOR, VANDERBILT SERIES AVAILABLE ONLINE
Live streaming video for this weekend's Baylor-Vanderbilt series is available via the DoreTV link at www.vucommodores.com, the official web site of Vanderbilt Athletics. The cost is $5 per game or $12 for the weekend series.
QUICK NOTES
• Baylor and Vanderbilt meet for the fifth, sixth and seventh times this weekend. The all-time series is tied 2-2.
• Friday will be LHP Trey Taylor's 39th career start, moving into a tie with Glenn Nevill (1988-91) and Jared Theodorakos (2000-04) for fifth place on Baylor's all-time list.
• The Bears slipped to No. 19 in this week's Baseball America Top 25.
• Other polls: Baylor is 29th in the Sports Weekly/ESPN Coaches' Poll and 30th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association Top 35.
• 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
• Last Friday, the Bears played their fourth game this season in which they faced a preseason All-America pitcher: Jason Bigley (Oral Roberts), Jason Urquidez (
• The Bears are 3-2 this season in one-run games after going 7-16 in such contests last season.
• Baylor is 1-3 this season in Friday games but 4-0 in Sunday games.
• The Bears are 7-2 this season when the starting pitcher goes at least 5.0 innings.
• Baylor is 6-1 this season when scoring first.
• The Bears are 5-0 when leading after three innings, 6-0 when leading after five and 7-0 when leading after the sixth inning or later.
• C/DH Josh Ford recorded his 200th career hit last Sunday against
• RHP Mark McCormick was named co-Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week by the league office Monday. This is the second time in his career McCormick has been so honored.
• Baylor has earned Big 12 pitcher of the week honors in three of the four weeks this season. Since the league's inception in 1997, Baylor has earned Big 12 pitcher of the week honors 16 times. In all, Baylor players have earned 33 player/pitcher of the week honors, most of any school in the conference's existence.
• RHP Ryan LaMotta made his 68th career appearance and passed Paul Thorp (2000-02) for 10th all-time at Baylor. LaMotta also passed Frank Foltyn (1989-92) for fifth all-time at Baylor with his 65th career relief appearance.
• 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.
• 1B Kyle Reynolds record his fifth and sixth stolen bases of the season in as many attempts Sunday. Reynolds was 7-for-8 in his first two seasons, including a career best four swipes last season. He also is adjusting to the change from shortstop to first base, committing only two errors in 163 attempts (.988).
• 20 of Baylor's 28 two-out RBI this season have come from three hitters: Reynolds (eight), SS Paul Witt (five) and DH/C Zach Dillon (seven, including five of Baylor's seven two-out RBI in the
• Reynolds has reached safely in 14 of 15 games this season. Since
•
• 2B Michael Griffin has not gone more than nine at bats without a hit since an 0-for-10 stretch in June 2003.
• Baylor's leadoff batter has reached base in 56 of 131 innings this season (42.7 percent); 32 times that base runner has scored (57.1 percent). The Bears have scored in 45 innings this season; the leadoff batter reached base safely in 32 of those innings (71.1 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).
• Baylor and LSU are the only NCAA Division I teams to enter the 2005 season with two players who have amassed at least 25 career home runs each. For Baylor, that tandem is C Josh Ford and 2B Michael Griffin, both of whom have 28 career round-trippers.
• Baylor Ballpark has ranked 21st or better nationally in average attendance every year since the facility's opening in 1999, including a program-best ninth in 2001. Baylor ranked 19th nationally in average attendance last season.
• Baylor's 2005 roster features five players who have previously been drafted: LHP/1B Drew Jeffcoat (2003-
• 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 STARTERS
LHP Trey Taylor (2-2, 2.62) makes his fifth start of the 2005 season Friday. In 24.0 innings this season,
LHP Cory VanAllen (2-2, 5.14) earns his fifth start of the 2005 season Saturday. In 21.0 innings this season, VanAllen has allowed 12 runs on 28 hits and six walks with 18 strikeouts. Opponents hit .341 against VanAllen.
RHP Mark McCormick (1-1, 5.14) closes out the series with his fifth start of the 2005 season Sunday. In 21.0 innings this season, McCormick has allowed 13 runs, 12 earned, on 16 hits and 16 walks with 24 strikeouts. Opponents hit .200 against McCormick. Baylor has a 3-1 record in his four starts this season, including a 2-0 mark in his two previous Sunday starts.
THE VANDERBILT SERIES
Baylor and Vanderbilt meet for only the fifth, sixth and seventh times this weekend. The series is knotted at 2-2 after the Commodores took two of three at Baylor Ballpark last season. The only other meeting between the two programs was a 10-4 Baylor victory at the 1999 Houston Invitational. In that game, the Bears defeated Mark Prior, who transferred to
THE VANDERBILT COMMODORES
Vanderbilt (12-0) is in its third season under the direction of head coach Tim Corbin, a 1984 Ohio Wesleyan graduate. He has a career record of 84-47, all at Vanderbilt. Corbin previously was an assistant coach on Jack Leggett's Clemson staff. Prior to his time at Clemson, he served six seasons as head coach at
Vandy Notes: The Commodores are off to the best start in the program's history, winning each of their first 12 games. ... Vanderbilt is ranked eighth in this week's Baseball America Top 25. The Commodores are ninth according to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association, 12th according to the Sports Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll and 20th according to Collegiate Baseball. ... Vanderbilt currently is ranked first nationally in both the pseudo-RPI rankings and the Iterative Strength Ratings, according to www.BoydsWorld.com. ... The Commodores have not left the city limits of
McCORMICK NAMED BIG 12 PITCHER OF THE WEEK
RHP Mark McCormick was named co-Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week by the league office earlier this week. McCormick shares this week's award with Jason Meyer of Texas A&M. This is McCormick's second time to be honored as Big 12 Pitcher of the Week; he was so honored after a five-hit shutout of Texas A&M last season.
McCormick was honored after defeating
With McCormick's honor, Baylor has earned Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors three times this season. LHP Cory VanAllen was so honored in each of the season's first two weeks. Baylor pitchers now have been honored as the league's pitcher of the week 16 times. In all, Baylor players have received 33 Big 12 player and pitcher of the week awards, most of any school in the conference.
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 Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. One of 30 Division I closers from across the nation in the running for the first-year award, Woody joins Texas junior J. Brent Cox as the only Big 12 Conference closers on the list.
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
Steve Smith begins his second decade as head coach at Baylor in 2005. In his first decade, Smith guided the program to near unprecedented heights, including the most successful six-year run in the program's 100-year history.
Smith has compiled a 380-241-1 (.612) 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, photos, biographical sketches and audio broadcasts, is part of the College Sports Online network, which currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including four Big 12 schools.
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.
Tom Barfield and Lark Smith are in their fourth season together as the primary play-by-play and color men for Baylor baseball. Barfield, the operations manager for KRZI/KRZX and KLRK-FM in
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 John Morris and airing weekdays at
INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour look at the world of Baylor athletics, airs weekly throughout
UP NEXT ...
Baylor returns home Tuesday, March 15, for its final non-conference game before the beginning of Big 12 Conference play, hosting TCU at
