Bears Host Quala-T Imprints Baylor Classic
3/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 8, 2007
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GAMES 17-19 • MARCH 9-11, 2007
QUALA-T IMPRINTS BAYLOR CLASSIC
BAYLOR BALLPARK •
COACHES
BAYLOR: Steve Smith
Alma Mater: Baylor, 1986
Career Record: 464-290-1 [13th season]
Record at Baylor: 464-290-1 [13th season]
Alma Mater: William Jewell, 1985
Career Record: 230-241 [9th season]
Record at USF: 230-241 [9th season]
Alma Mater:
Career Record: 1,320-648-2 [34th season]
Record at MSU: 1,086-536-2 [28th season]
Alma Mater:
Career Record: 754-505-5 [24th season]
Record at
BAYLOR/ISP NETWORK
1660 ESPN RADIO (
Tom Barfield, play-by-play
Lark Smith, color
INTERNET FEEDS
GameTracker: www.BaylorBears.com
Audio: www.BaylorBears.com
Video: www.BaylorBears.com
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Baseball
NCBWA NR
Collegiate Baseball NR
Baylor returns to action this weekend, hosting
Baylor (10-6) snapped a brief two-game losing streak Tuesday night with a 6-4 victory over
All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on
GameTracker live stats are available for all six games of the Quala-T Imprints Baylor Classic at www.BaylorBears.com. Live streaming video also is available for Baylor's games. For more information, follow the Baylor All-Access link at www.BaylorBears.com.
QUALA-T IMPRINTS BAYLOR CLASSIC SCHEDULE
FRIDAY
Winthrop (RHP Alex Wilson) vs.
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Winthrop (RHP Jason Franzblau) vs. Baylor (RHP Randall Linebaugh), 4 p.m.
QUICK HITS
• Since the start of the 2003 season, Baylor is:
- 124-46 (.729) when its starting pitcher lasts at least 5.0 innings
- 30-7 (.811) when its pitching staff records at least 10 strikeouts
- 117-33 (.780) when scoring first
- 135-25 (.844) when out-hitting its opponent
- 127-35 (.784) when holding its opponent to fewer than five runs
- 114-22 (.838) when scoring at least six runs
- 103-15 (.873) when scoring at least seven runs
• Since the start of the 2002 season, Baylor is 163-7 (.959) when leading after eight innings. The Bears have won 23 straight, 57 of their last 58 and 92 of their last 94 such games.
• Baylor has won 22 of its last 23 games when hitting at least two home runs.
• Baylor is 14-3 in extra-inning games since the start of the 2003 season.
• The Bears are 41-9 (.820) at Baylor Ballpark since the start of the 2005 postseason.
• Baylor is 19-3 all-time at Baylor Ballpark in finales with a chance to sweep a three-game series (does not include the
• The Bears have three walk-off victories this season, one shy of their total from the last two seasons combined.
• Baylor has out-scored its opponents 19-1 in the eighth inning and 19-5 in the second inning this season.
• Baylor's bullpen is 6-0 with a 2.45 ERA this season.
• Baylor is 7-for-22 (.318) this season with the bases loaded.
• The Bears are hitting .310 (78-for-252) with runners on base this season but only .257 (43-for-167) with runners in scoring position. That means Baylor is hitting .412 (35-for-85) with a runner only at first base.
• Baylor plays its next seven games and 23 of its next 27 games against 2006 NCAA Tournament participants.
• 3B Raynor
• RHP Nick Cassavechia has stranded 28 of 32 inherited runners in his career.
• 1B/DH Dustin Dickerson has two hits in his last 29 at bats (.069). His second-inning single Tuesday against
• CF Chase Gerdes has reached safely and/or scored in 15 of 16 games this season. He also is hitting .375 (9-for-24) over the last eight games.
• 1B/DH Tim
• Both of
• Baylor is 13-4 in RHP Randall Linebaugh's 17 career starts, including a 13-2 mark in 15 career regular-season starts.
• Linebaugh is 6-1 with four no-decisions in 11 career starts in which he lasted at least 5.0 innings.
• RHP Jeff Mandel has been given just three runs of support in his last two starts, both losses despite allowing only five earned runs in 13.2 innings (3.29 ERA).
• RHP Tim Matthews is 2-1 with two saves and a 1.33 ERA in his career as a reliever. He has allowed just four earned runs over 27.0 innings in 17 career relief apperances.
• Matthews has allowed one earned run in his last 13 relief appearances, dating back to last season.
• RF Aaron Miller has hit safely in all but three games this season.
• Miller has reached safely in 15 of 16 games this season, including eight straight.
THE
Baylor and
Overall: Baylor leads 1-0
Neutral Site: Baylor leads 1-0
Smith vs. USF: 1-0
First Meeting: Baylor 5, USF 4 [3/2/2007]
Last Meeting: Baylor 5, USF 4 [3/2/2007]
BAYLOR vs. THE WEST COAST CONFERENCE
Baylor is 3-1 all-time against current members of the West Coast Conference. The Bears' only games against a WCC opponent prior to last Friday was in 2004 when Baylor took two of three in a series against Loyola Marymount in
THE
Baylor and
The last time Baylor and
Baylor and
Overall: Baylor leads 3-2
Neutral Site: Baylor leads 2-1
Smith vs. MSU: 0-0
First Meeting: Baylor 6, MSU 3 [5/22/1978]
Last Meeting: MSU 10, at Baylor 4 [3/23/1925]
BAYLOR vs. THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
Baylor is 53-50 all-time against current members of the Southeastern Conference, including a 12-12 mark during head coach Steve Smith's tenure. The majority of Baylor's history against SEC teams involves former Southwest Conference foe
The Bears are 5-3 against Vanderbilt, 2-6 against
Nine of Baylor's 30 games against SEC teams other than
THE
Baylor and Winthrop meet for just the second time ever Sunday. The Bears won the previous meeting 17-6 March 6, 2002, at Baylor Ballpark.
Overall: Baylor leads 1-0
Neutral Site: Never Met
Smith vs.
First Meeting: at Baylor 17,
Last Meeting: at Baylor 17,
BAYLOR vs. THE BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE
QIBC FEATURES MANY CONNECTIONS
• Baylor head coach Steve Smith and assistant coaches Mitch Thompson and Steve Johnigan all previously served as assistant coaches at
• Thompson and Johnigan both received Master of Science degrees from
•
• Winthrop RHP Owen Reid began his collegiate career at Baylor. Reid posted a 1-1 record with a 6.75 ERA over 18.2 innings in 11 appearances and one start last season for the Bears.
BAYLOR IN THE BIG 12 STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Through games of March 7, Baylor ranks 10th in the Big 12 Conference in batting average (.252), third in ERA (3.04) and seventh in fielding (.964).
Individually, SS Beamer Weems is tied for seventh in home runs (3). LF Ben Booker is tied for third in triples (3), while RF Aaron Miller is tied for sixth in three-baggers (2).
RHP Randall Linebaugh is 14th in the league with a 2.57 ERA, seventh among pitchers with at least four starts. RHP Jeff Mandel is third in strikeouts (29); Mandel's 10.58 strikeouts-per-nine-innings average ranks third in the league among pitchers with at least four starts. RHP Nick Cassavechia is tied for third in wins (3) and tied for seventh in saves (2). Cassavechia and RHP Tim Matthews are tied for fifth in appearances (8), while RHP Jake Weghorst is tied for 10th in appearances (7).
BEARS STRONG IN LATE INNINGS
Baylor has posted five come-from-behind victories this season, largely due to the Bears' dominance of the late innings. Through 16 games, Baylor has out-scored its opponents 32-18 from the seventh inning on, including a 19-1 advantage in the eighth inning.
Meanwhile, Baylor's bullpen has been much stronger than the opponents' bullpen. The Bears' pen is 6-0 this season with a 2.45 ERA and a .259 opponents' batting average. Opposing bullpens, on the other hand, have posted an 0-5 record with a 6.48 ERA; Baylor is hitting .291 off opposing relievers.
Baylor is hitting .338 (22-for-65) as a team in the eighth inning with four doubles, three triples, one home run, 17 RBI and a .443 on base percentage. The only other inning in which the Bears are hitting .300 or better is the second inning (.328, 21-for-64). Baylor has out-scored its opponents 19-5 in the second inning.
On the mound, Baylor pitchers posted a 1.96 ERA from the seventh inning on. The Bears have not allowed an eighth-inning earned run this season.
Baylor is 7-0 when leading after six innings and 2-1 when tied after six. The Bears are 8-0 when leading after seven innings and 1-0 when tied after seven. Baylor is 7-0 when leading after eighth and 2-0 when tied after eight.
BAYLOR BEGINS TOUGH STRETCH
Friday's game against
A LITTLE HELP, PLEASE
RHP Jeff Mandel has been given just seven runs of support in his three losses this season, including three runs of support in his last two starts. Meanwhile, Mandel allowed just five earned runs in 13.2 innings (3.29 ERA) in his last two starts. Baylor batters have given Mandel 4.25 runs of support in his four starts, the lowest of Baylor's five starters.
Mandel has posted a 3.20 ERA in his last three starts, allowing seven earned runs in 19.2 innings. He has 24 strikeouts against five walks and has held opponents to a .234 batting average in that time. However, he is only 1-2 in those three starts.
BEARS ARE EXTRA SPECIAL
Baylor is 14-3 in extra-inning games since the start of the 2003 season, including a 2-0 mark in such games this season. Last year, the Bears lost their only extra-inning game -- a 13-inning, 7-6 loss at home to
Five of the 14 wins over the past five seasons have come on an opponent's home field (
Baylor's luck was not as good in 2002 when the Bears were 1-5 in extra-inning games, including a span of three consecutive games lost in extra innings in mid-May.
TRIPLE YOUR PLEASURE
Through games of March 7, Baylor is second in the Big 12 Conference with nine triples this season. LF Ben Booker is tied for third with three triples, while RF Aaron Miller is tied for sixth with two triples. 3B Raynor Campbell, Dickerson, Gerdes and 1B/DH Tim
Last season, Baylor tied for second nationally with 32 triples, which also tied for the fourth-best season total in school history.
MIDWEEK SUCCESS CONTINUES
Baylor improved to 17-4 in non-conference midweek games since the start of the 2006 season after Tuesday's 6-4 victory over
BEARS STRONG AT BAYLOR BALLPARK
Baylor's series-finale loss to Oral Roberts earlier this season snapped a 14-game winning streak for the Bears at Baylor Ballpark. It was Baylor's longest home winning streak since a facility-record 15-game run in 2000.
Since the start of the 2005 postseason, the Bears are 41-9 (.820) at Baylor Ballpark. Six of those nine losses were to ranked opponents. Baylor also has five home wins against ranked opponents during that time, including a sweep of fifth-ranked
Baylor has lost consecutive home games only once since the start of the 2005 postseason: a 6-4 loss to second-ranked Rice on a Josh Rodriguez ninth-inning home run and a 7-6, 13-inning loss to eighth-ranked
CASSAVECHIA NAMED TO STOPPER WATCH LIST
RHP Nick Cassavechia was named to the 2007 Stopper of the Year Watch List, announced in early February by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Cassavechia joined
A product of St. Mark's High School in
Cassavechia's 2006 saves total tied for the sixth-best tally in school history. He tied fellow Bear Jeff Mandel for fourth in the Big 12 last season in saves. Cassavechia and Mandel, who moves to the starting rotation for 2007, are the two top returning pitchers in saves in the conference this year.
SCHEDULE AMONG NATION'S TOUGHEST
Baylor's 2007 schedule is projected as the nation's 20th-most difficult slate, according to Boyd Nation of BoydsWorld.com. The Bears' schedule is rated as the third-most difficult in the Big 12 behind
Long Beach State's schedule is predicted to be the most difficult, followed by Southern California, UCLA, Stanford, Cal Poly, Pacific, Cal State Northridge, Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara and Texas.
BEARS PICKED FOURTH IN PRESEASON BIG 12 COACHES' POLL
Baylor was picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 Conference, according to the preseason coaches' poll released by the league office. The Bears garnered 57 total points, seven behind third-place
Defending regular-season champion
This is the third consecutive season in which Baylor was picked to finish fourth in the preseason coaches' poll. In the 10-year history of the Big 12 Conference, only five schools have claimed regular-season titles: Baylor (2000, 2005);
BAYLOR RANKED NATION'S 17TH-BEST PROGRAM
Baylor was listed as the nation's 17th-best collegiate baseball program since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1999, according to a recent study by Baseball
With 150 total points, Baylor was the third highest-rated Big 12 Conference program behind only top-rated
Baseball
Programs were awarded one point for every .010 above a .500 winning percentage, five points for each regional appearance, seven points for each super regional appearance, 10 points for each College World Series appearance, 20 points for each national title, one point for each CWS appearance prior to 1999, five points for each first-team All-American, three points for each second-team All-American, two points for each third-team All-American, two points for each player drafted in the top 10 rounds and two points for each former player to play in the Major Leagues during the period of study.
With 19 players drafted in the top 10 rounds since 1999, Baylor tied
BAYLOR/ISP SPORTS NETWORK
Catch every inning of Baylor baseball in 2006 on the flagship station for Baylor athletics, 1660 ESPN Radio.
Popular on-air personality Tom Barfield enters his fourth season as the primary play-by-play man for Baylor baseball. Barfield, the operations manager for KRZI/KRZX and KLRK-FM in
Barfield is joined by Lark Smith in the booth. 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 audio for all Baylor baseball games also are available online at www.BaylorBears.com.
INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour look at the world of Baylor athletics, airs weekly throughout
HEAD COACH Steve Smith
Steve Smith is in his 13th season as head coach of Baylor's baseball program in 2007. In his first 12 years, Smith guided the program to unprecedented heights, including the most successful nine-year run in the program's 102-season history and a College World Series appearance in 2005.
Smith has compiled a 464-290-1 career record, all at Baylor. He ranks second among the program's 18 head coaches in career victories. Smith has led Baylor to eight NCAA Regional appearances, three NCAA Super Regional appearances, one College World Series appearance and two Big 12 Conference titles. He also has coached 12 All-America selections and seven USA Baseball National Team members while at Baylor.
The 2005 USA Baseball National Team head coach, 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.
Smith has tutored seven pitchers in the last 13 years who were selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft. He also has coached at least one all-conference pitcher in each of the last 13 years.
UP NEXT ...
Baylor continues a five-game home stand Tuesday, March 13, hosting
