Bears Travel to Little Apple, Face Kansas State

4/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

April 10, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

GAMES 33-35 • APRIL 11-13 • TOINTON STADIUM • MANHATTAN, KAN.

BAYLOR (20-12, 6-6) at KANSAS STATE (15-16, 2-7)

FRIDAY: 6:30 p.m. CST

SATURDAY: 2:00 p.m. CST

SUNDAY: 1:00 p.m. CST

Baylor returns to action this weekend, traveling to Manhattan, Kan., for a three-game Big 12 Conference series at Kansas State. The Bears and the Wildcats meet Friday at 6:30 p.m. CDT, Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. This is Baylor's fifth Big 12 series this season and the fourth of the season for Kansas State.

The Bears (20-12, 6-6) have won four of their last five after splitting a pair of one-run games at home midweek. Baylor lost to TCU 4-3 Tuesday night but rebounded for a 6-5 win Wednesday night against UT Arlington. The Bears, who swept Kansas at home last weekend, are 5-5 in their last 10 games. Baylor is unranked in this week's Baseball America Top 25; the Bears are among teams receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll and ranked 30th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 30. Baylor is 4-8 on the road this season, all coming on opponents' home fields.

The Wildcats (15-16, 2-7) have lost four straight after dropping a 4-3 decision at home Tuesday night against ninth-ranked Wichita State. Kansas State swept at Texas A&M last weekend. This is Baylor's second straight Big 12 series against a team that played Texas A&M the previous weekend. Prior to this four-game skid, the Wildcats won eight of nine. Unranked in all four major polls, Kansas State is 12-6 at home this season; the Wildcats are 2-4 at home in Big 12 play, dropping all three games to Nebraska and winning two of three against Oklahoma State.

Baylor and Kansas State have played two common opponents this season -- Oklahoma State and UTSA. Both teams took two of three against Oklahoma State. The Bears lost their only game against UTSA, while the Wildcats have dropped two games against UTSA.

All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on Waco's 1660 ESPN Radio. Live streaming audio and GameTracker also are available for all Baylor baseball games online at www.BaylorBears.com, the official website of Baylor Athletics and a member of the CSTV Network. Live streaming video also is available for the Kansas State series at www.KStateSports.com.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS

FRIDAY

Baylor: RHP Kendal Volz, So. (3-2, 5.06 ERA, 42.2 IP, 17 BB, 50 K)

Kansas State: RHP Brad Hutt, Sr. (3-3, 3.19 ERA, 53.2 IP, 10 BB, 20 K)

SATURDAY

Baylor: RHP Willie Kempf, So. (5-1, 3.63 ERA, 39.2 IP, 21 BB, 27 K)

Kansas State: RHP Justin Murray, Jr. (2-0, 2.50 ERA, 39.2 IP, 10 BB, 21 K)

SUNDAY

Baylor: TBA

Kansas State: LHP Lance Hoge, Jr. (1-2, 3.67 ERA, 27.0, 4 BB, 18 K)

THE SERIES

Overall: Baylor leads 27-9

Waco: Baylor leads 19-1

Manhattan: Baylor leads 8-7

Neutral Site: Kansas State leads 1-0

Since Start of Big 12: Baylor leads 26-8

Regular Season: Baylor leads 26-7

Postseason: Kansas State leads 1-0

Smith vs. K-State: 26-8

First Meeting: at Baylor 2, Kansas State 0 [3/28/1966]

Last Meeting: at Baylor 9, Kansas State 3 [5/20/2007]

COACHES

BAYLOR: Steve Smith

Alma Mater: Baylor, 1986

Career Record: 510-323-1 [14th season]

Record at Baylor: 510-323-1 [14th season]

KANSAS STATE: Brad Hill

Alma Mater: Emporia State, 1985

Career Record: 554-206-2 [14th season]

Record at K-State: 135-115-2 [5th season]

BAYLOR/ISP SPORTS NETWORK

1660 ESPN RADIO (Waco)

Tom Barfield, play-by-play

Lark Smith, color

INTERNET FEEDS

GameTracker: www.BaylorBears.com

Audio: www.BaylorBears.com

Video: www.KStateSports.com

BAYLOR-KANSAS STATE SERIES

Baylor and Kansas State meet for the 37th, 38th and 39th times this weekend. Baylor holds a 27-9 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to a 2-0 Baylor victory March 28, 1966, in Waco.

While Baylor has dominated the series in Waco (19-1 all-time after sweeping last year's series), the series has been very competitive at Manhattan; the Bears are 8-7 all-time at Kansas State, all coming since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997. Kansas State swept the 2006 series at Tointon Stadium and has won four straight at home against the Bears.

Baylor is 26-7 against Kansas State in regular-season Big 12 meetings. Kansas State won the teams' lone meeting in Big 12 Championship competition, a 6-2 decision at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in 2002. The Bears have won 10 of the 11 Big 12 series, including four of five at Manhattan. Baylor is 6-4 against Kansas State in the teams' last 10 meetings.

STREAKS AND TIDBITS

LF Ben Booker has hit safely in seven straight games; he is hitting .545 (12-for-22) in that time with three doubles, a triple, three home runs, 13 RBI and seven runs scored. Booker also reached safely in nine consecutive plate appearances covering the April 2 game against UTSA and the first two games of the Kansas series. ... CF Raynor Campbell, who missed the season's first three weeks after surgery to repair ligaments in his right (throwing-hand) thumb, is hitting .316 (12-for-38) over the last 10 games. Campbell was just 2-for-22 (.111) in his first eight games after returning to the field. He has hit safely in seven straight Big 12 games. ... RHP Nick Cassavechia has posted a 2.70 ERA in four road appearances this season, allowing just one earned run. ... DH Dustin Dickerson has hit safely in eight of his last nine games and in all but eight games this season. His seven-game hitting streak was snapped in Tuesday's loss to TCU; however, he has reached safely in nine straight. Dickerson also has hit safely in five straight Big 12 games. ... RHP Craig Fritsch has posted a 1.08 ERA in four road appearances this season, allowing just one earned run. ... C Gregg Glime produced the first three-RBI game of his career last Saturday against Kansas, going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. ... 3B Shaver Hansen has hit safely in four straight and in 11 of the last 12 games, going 15-for-45 (.333) with three doubles, three triples, one home run, 11 RBI and 10 runs scored in that time. He also has reached safely in 12 straight. Hansen has hit safely in 15 consecutive non-conference games. ... 1B Adam Hornung is riding a career-long seven-game hitting streak; he is hitting .407 (11-for-27) in those seven games with two doubles, a home run, five RBI, five runs scored and five walks. He has reached safely in eight straight games. Hornung has hit safely in 13 straight games at Baylor Ballpark and in 14 straight night games. ... RHP Willie Kempf is 2-1 in road games this season with a 3.44 ERA. His strikeout/walk totals have been the same or plus-one strikeout in six of his seven starts (plus-three strikeouts in the other start). ... RHP Randall Linebaugh earned his first career save with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief Wednesday against UT Arlington. He had five strikeouts, a season high and a career high in relief. Of the 12 earned runs he has allowed this season, eight reached base via walks. ... RHP Wade Mackey has allowed at least two earned runs in five of seven appearances this season; he allowed two-plus earned runs in five of 15 appearances last season. ... RHP Tim Matthews has allowed one earned run in 10.1 relief innings this season (0.87 ERA). His 20-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio is best on the staff. ... RF Aaron Miller has matched Baylor's season leader in home runs (nine) each of the past three seasons (Josh Ford, 2005; Seth Fortenberry, 2006; Matt Czimskey and Beamer Weems, 2007). Miller is the first Baylor player with at least nine regular-season home runs since Ford had 13 in 2004. Miller is on pace to be the first sophomore to lead Baylor in home runs since Chris Durbin had 14 in 2001. Miller has hit safely five times in the last 12 games; all five were multiple-hit games. He has not produced a one-hit game since going 1-for-3 in the Oklahoma State series finale March 16. Of his 25 RBI this season, 17 have come in four games. ... DH/OF Jon Ringenberg has produced an RBI in five of the eight games in which he has appeared. ... LHP Mace Thurman has walked at least one batter in seven straight appearances and in 10 of 13 outings this season. ... RHP Shawn Tolleson has lasted at least 5.0 innings in each of his six starts since going only 2.1 innings in the first start of his career (Feb. 23 vs. Purdue). He has pitched into the sixth inning in four straight starts. ... RHP Kendal Volz has tallied 10-plus strikeouts in three of seven starts this season and in four of nine starts, dating back to last year. His 12 strikeouts last Friday against Kansas tied a Baylor Ballpark record for most strikeouts in a game by a Baylor pitcher. It tied for the second-most by any pitcher in the facilities' history, matching the 12-strikeout performances by former Bears Steven White and Mark McCormick and former Nebraska Husker Joba Chamberlain; only McCormick earned a victory. ... 2B Landis Ware leads all Big 12 freshman in batting average (.349), hits (15) and doubles (4) in league play. He has hit safely in nine of 12 conference games this season with five multiple-hit games. Ware, who was hitless in both midweek games, has gone hitless in consecutive games only twice and has never gone hitless in three straight games. ... SS Beamer Weems is hitting .298 (14-for-47) over the last 13 games. He has walked 11 times against only four strikeouts in that time. Weems has committed seven errors this season, five fielding and two throwing. That is a change from his first two seasons; Weems committed only two fielding errors out of 10 total errors as a freshman in 2006 and only four fielding errors out of 12 total errors last season.

WEEKEND WARRIORS

Baylor is 15-6 this season in weekend games, sweeping series against Purdue, Mississippi State and Kansas, winning all three games at the QTI Baylor Classic (Illinois, Illinois-Chicago and Stephen F. Austin), and winning two of three against Oklahoma State. In fact, dating back to last season, the Bears have won 18 of 24 regular-season weekend games. Baylor swept Kansas State in the final Big 12 series last year.

CARDIAC KIDS

After going 4-5 in one-run games last season, Baylor has reversed its fortunes in such games this year with a 9-4 mark. The Bears' nine one-run wins and their 13 one-run games are the most by a Baylor team since the 2005 squad was 15-8, establishing a school record for one-run wins. In 2004, Baylor established school records for one-run one-run losses with a 7-16 mark.

Baylor has won two games in its final at bat -- the season-opener against Purdue and the series opener against Kansas. However, the Bears have lost five games in their opponents' final at bat.

BOOKER NAMED BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK

OF Ben Booker was named Big 12 Conference Player of the Week after helping the Bears to a three-game sweep of Kansas over the weekend. A product of Lorena [Texas] High School, Booker hit .625 (10-for-16) on the week with three home runs, 11 RBI, a double, a triple, 22 total bases and a 1.375 slugging percentage. He hit safely in all five games on the week with multiple-hit outings in each of the week's final four games.

Booker is the first Bear to earn Big 12 Player of the Week honors since Beamer Weems was so honored March 26, 2007. This marks the third consecutive year in which at least one Bear has earned player of the week honors. Booker is the 14th Baylor player so honored in the league's 12-year history, joining Mike Huggins (three times), Jon Topolski (twice), Charley Carter (twice), Chris Durbin (twice), Josh Ford (twice), Jaime Bubela, Matt Williams, Ross Bennett, Tim Hartshorn, Michael Griffin, Paul Witt, Chase Gerdes and Weems.

Three Bears have earned Big 12 weekly honors this season; RHPs Kendal Volz and Shawn Tolleson have both been named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week. Baylor's three weekly awards this season are the most since 2005 when the Bears earned pitcher of the week honors a school-record six times.

Booker also was named to the National College Baseball Foundation's Nationall All-Star Lineup. He is the third member of the Baylor program so honored this season; Tolleson earned All-Star Lineup honors after his shutout of Oklahoma State, and head coach Steve Smith was selected after the Bears' sweep at Mississippi State in which Smith earned career win No. 500.

BAYLOR IN BIG 12 CONFERENCE STATISTICAL RANKINGS

Baylor ranks ninth in batting average (.278), eighth in ERA (4.74) and first in fielding percentage (.971) through games of April 9. In league games, the Bears rank seventh in batting average (.259), seventh in ERA (5.17) and sixth in fielding percentage (.975).

Individually in all games: 1B Adam Hornung is 16th in batting average (.339) and tied for 10th in hits (40). RF Aaron Miller is tied for second in home runs (9), tied for eighth in doubles (10), sixth in total bases (74) and eighth in slugging percentage (.617). DH Dustin Dickerson is tied for fifth in doubles (11). 3B Shaver Hansen is third in triples (4), while LF Ben Booker is tied for fourth in triples (3). RHP Willie Kempf is 19th in ERA (3.63) and tied for fourth in wins (5). RHP Kendal Volz is tied for second in strikeouts (50). RHP Shawn Tolleson is tied for 10th in innings (43.1), tied for second in shutouts (1) and tied for fifth in complete games (1). RHP Nick Cassavechia is tied for eighth in appearances (15) and tied for fifth in saves (5).

Individually in league games: 2B Landis Ware is 15th in batting average (.349), tied for eighth in hits (15) and tied for fourth in doubles (4), all tops among league freshmen. Dickerson and Miller are tied for fourth in home runs (3). Booker, CF Raynor Campbell and Hansen are tied for second in triples (1). Tolleson is tied for seventh in ERA (2.70), tied for seventh in wins (2), third in innings (30.0), tied for ninth in strikeouts (21), tied for second in shutouts (1), tied for third in complete games (1) and fifth in opponents' batting average (.212). Kempf is 18th in ERA (4.43) and tied for second in wins (3). Volz is third in strikeouts (29). Cassavechia is tied for sixth in appearances (5). RHPs Craig Fritsch and Tim Matthews are tied for seventh in saves (1).

NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS

Through games of April 6, Baylor ranked eighth in double plays turned (36) and 10th in double plays turned per game (1.2). The Bears fielding percentage (.971) ranked 32nd nationally. Baylor also ranked 28th in walks drawn (148), 35th in sacrifice bunts (26), 28th in triples (12) and 46th in home runs (31).

Individually, LF Ben Booker and 3B Shaver Hansen were tied for 80th in triples (3). RF Aaron Miller was 37th in home runs (9). RHP Willie Kempf was 81st in wins (5). RHP Nick Cassavechia was 31st in saves (5). RHP Kendal Volz was 31st in strikeouts (50) and 41st in strikeouts per nine innings (10.54).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

As the numbers go, so go the Bears. In its 20 wins this season, Baylor has hit .316 and averaged 8.4 runs per game with a 3.81 ERA. Conversely, the Bears have hit .211 and average 3.1 runs per game with a 6.39 ERA in their 12 losses.

Part of Baylor's offensive woes in losses can be attributed to two areas: leadoff on base percentage and average with runners in scoring position. Baylor's leadoff batter has reached safely in 46.4 percent of the innings (77-of-166), and the Bears are hitting .340 (81-for-238) with runners in scoring position in games won this season. Meanwhile, in losses, Baylor's leadoff batter has reached safely in 33.6 percent of the innings (36-of-107) and the Bears are hitting .181 (19-for-105) with runners in scoring position.

A large indicator for Baylor's success has been its ability to score without getting the leadoff batter on base. The Bears have failed to get the leadoff batter on base 142 times in 20 wins; Baylor has still scored in 25 of those innings (17.6 percent). At the same time, the Bears have failed to get the leadoff batter on base 71 times in 12 losses; however, Baylor has scored in only four of those innings (5.6 percent).

TOLLESON, VOLZ LOOKING FOR SUPPORT

In eight combined Big 12 Conference starts, RHPs Shawn Tolleson and Kendal Volz have garnered a total of 28 runs of support (3.5 per game) with 43 percent of those runs (12) coming in last Saturday's game against Kansas.

The Bears are 1-3 in Volz' three Big 12 starts, scoring 11 runs in those four games (five vs. Oklahoma State, none at Missouri, two at Oklahoma and four vs. Kansas). The Bears are 2-2 in Tolleson's three Big 12 starts, scoring 17 runs in those three games (three vs. Oklahoma State, none at Missouri, two at Oklahoma and 12 vs. Kansas).

Baylor has given Tolleson 12-plus runs in two of his seven starts -- 16 at Mississippi State and 12 against Kansas. In Tolleson's other five starts, the Bears have produced 21 runs (4.2 per game); Tolleson has posted a 3.31 ERA in those five games with only a 1-1 record.

Volz earned 52.6 percent of his run support in one game -- 20 of 38 in a 20-6 victory over Illinois. He has been given 4.7 runs of support per game in his other six starts.

BAYLOR IS EXTRA SPECIAL

Baylor is 15-5 in extra-inning games since the start of the 2003 season, including a 1-1 mark in such games this season. Baylor was 2-1 in extra-inning games last season, 0-1 in 2006, 6-1 in 2005, 1-0 in 2004 and 5-1 in 2003.

Five of the 15 wins over the past six seasons have come on an opponent's home field (Arizona twice, Arizona State, Texas and Vanderbilt). Three of the 15 wins were either neutral-site games or games at Baylor Ballpark in which the Bears were the visitor. Four of the 15 wins have come in postseason play (two at the Big 12 Tournament, one in the NCAA Regional round and one at the College World Series).

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 during mid-May.

FIVE BAYLOR GAMES SLATED FOR TELEVISION

Five Baylor games are scheduled for television broadcast this season, including two home games. The Bears will be on CSTV twice: April 1 at TCU (7 p.m. CT) and April 22 vs. Texas (7 p.m.). Two games will be aired on Fox College Sports: April 26 vs. Nebraska (6:30 p.m.), May 4 at Texas (1 p.m.). The Bears' May 3 game at Texas will be televised on FSN (2:30 p.m.).

Since 1988, Baylor has played on television 57 times, including a program-best 12 games in 2005. Over the past 20 years, the Bears are 28-29 in televised games.

BAYLOR AMONG NATIONAL APR LEADERS

Baylor received a public recognition award from the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program in 2007 for having an Academic Progress Rate (APR) score that ranks among the top 10 percent within their sport. The Bears' most-recent APR score was 983 with an adjusted squad size mark of 992. Baylor was one of 30 Division I programs honored by the NCAA. Head coach Steve Smith's squad was the only of Baylor's 19 varsity teams so honored.

CASSAVECHIA AMONG NATIONAL CAREER SAVES LEADERS

RHP Nick Cassavechia entered the 2008 season with 19 career saves, a total that was tied for second in Baylor history and led all active Big 12 Conference pitchers. Furthermore, Cassavechia ranked sixth nationally in career saves among active players behind only Kelly Heyne (24, Ball State), Joshua Fields (23, Georgia), Joseph Edesn (22, Samford), Daniel Kennedy (21, Georgetown) and Chris Manning (21, Belmont).

Cassavechia's career total is even more impressive considering he has been Baylor's closer for not even two full seasons. He moved into the closer role during the first week of April in 2006 and has amassed all his saves since that point. He tallied 11 saves as a junior in 2007, tying for fourth in the Big 12 and 23rd nationally. It also tied for the third-best season total in Baylor history. Cassavechia, who had eight saves as a sophomore in 2006, joins Zane Carlson (2000, 2001) as the only Baylor pitchers to record at least eight saves in consecutive seasons.

BAYLOR BALLPARK CELEBRATES MILESTONE GAME

Baylor's 2008 season opener was the Bears' 300th game at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears are 225-83 (.731) at home since the stadium opened in 1999. Baylor Ballpark, which celebrates its 10th season in 2008, has drawn over 800,000 fans in its existence. Baylor is one of only eight Division I schools to average at least 2,700 fans per game each season since 2000. The facility was voted the nation's third-best college baseball stadium in a 2003 Baseball America survey.

While the season opener was the Bears' 300th game at Baylor Ballpark, the facility already had celebrated its 300th college game. Including the 1999, 2000 and 2005 NCAA Regionals and the 2006 and 2007 Quala-T Imprints Baylor Classics, a total of 16 Division I games that did not involve the Bears have been played at Baylor Ballpark.

TRIPLE YOUR PLEASURE

Baylor batters tallied 58 triples over the past two seasons. Only Arizona (62) and Charlotte (59) hit more three-baggers in that time. The Bears tied for seventh nationally last season with 26 triples. In 2006, the Bears tied for second nationally with 32 triples.

Furthermore, Baylor joins Arizona and Texas as the nation's only programs to collect at least 20 triples in each of the past six seasons.

Baylor's Jon Topolski led the nation with 11 triples in 1998. Seth Fortenberry tied for third nationally with 10 triples in 2006, and Ben Booker tied for 15th nationally last season with seven. Michael Griffin was 25th nationally with 0.12 triples per game in 2003, one year after Mike Huggins was 25th nationally with 0.11 triples per contest.

BIG 12 COACHES PICK BAYLOR THIRD

Baylor was picked third in the 2008 Big 12 Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Bears garnered one first-place vote and 65 total points, six behind second-place Missouri and five ahead of fourth-place Texas A&M.

This is Baylor's highest preseason pick by the league's coaches since 2004 when the Bears were tabbed second. The Bears have been picked fourth in the preseason poll each of the past three seasons.

Texas was the coaches' preseason favorite, picking up eight first-place votes and 80 total points; Missouri earned the final first-place vote. Oklahoma State was picked fifth, while Nebraska was slotted sixth. Kansas State and Oklahoma tied for the seventh-place spot; Kansas and Texas Tech rounded out the poll.

In the 11-year history of the Big 12, only five schools have claimed regular-season titles: Baylor (2000, 2005); Nebraska (2001, 2003, 2005); Texas (2002, 2004, 2006, 2007); Texas A&M (1998, 1999) and Texas Tech (1997).

FIVE BEARS EARN PRESEASON HONORS

Five Baylor players garnered preseason accolades from various publications and outlets this year, including two preseason All-America honors.

RHP Nick Cassavechia was a preseason All-America pick by Ping! Baseball (first team) and by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (third team). Cassavechia also was named to the preseason watch lists for the Wallace Award, the Clemens Award and the NCBWA National Stopper of the Year.

SS Beamer Weems was a second-team preseason All-America selection by Rivals.com and by Ping! Baseball. He was one of four players honored by Baseball America as "Best Defensive Players," and Weems also was listed as the nation's third-best shortstop by CSTV.com. Baseball America also named Weems preseason All-Big 12 and listed him as the league's best defensive shortstop. In addition, Weems was named to preseason watch lists for the Golden Spikes Award and the Wallace Award.

RHP Shawn Tolleson was ranked second nationally on the Rivals.com 2008 Impact Freshmen List. He sat out the 2007 season as a medical redshirt.

2B Raynor Campbell was named preseason All-Big 12 by Baseball America. The publication also listed him as the league's best defensive third baseman in a survey of the league's coaches (conducted last fall).

RHP Kendal Volz was named the third-best pro prospect in the Big 12 Conference for the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.

SIX BEARS ON BASEBALL AMERICA'S PRESEASON DRAFT LISTS

Baseball America, with assistance from Major League Baseball scouting directors, has compiled a list of the top 50 draft prospects in each class. Six Baylor players are on those lists, including five players from the Bears' heralded 2006 signing class.

RHP Shawn Tolleson was rated as the 15th-best prospect among freshmen; Tolleson, who missed the 2007 season with a medical redshirt, will be draft eligible in 2009 after his sophomore seasons.

Four Bears appearend on the sophomore list: RF Aaron Miller (11th), RHP Kendal Volz (14th), 1B Dustin Dickerson (32nd) and 2B Raynor Campbell (50th). Of that group, only Campbell is draft eligible this season as he turns 21 within 45 days of the draft. Miller was an 11th-round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies in 2006. Dickerson (15th round, Washington Nationals) and Volz (50th round, Arizona Diamondbacks) also were drafted that year.

RHP Randall Linebaugh was rated as the 14th-best prospect among seniors. Linebaugh, one of only two three-year lettermen on Baylor's 2008 roster, has never been drafted.

BEARS ON SHORT LIST FOR RECENT NCAA SUCCESS

Baylor is one of 15 NCAA Division I programs and one of only two from the Big 12 Conference with at least nine NCAA Tournament appearances in the past 10 years. The Bears have made nine tournament appearances in that time (missing only the 2004 event) with three Super Regional appearances and one College World Series appearance.

Others on the elite list are: Arizona State (9), Cal State Fullerton (10), Clemson (10), Florida State (10), Miami, Fla. (10), Mississippi State (9), North Carolina (9), Oral Roberts (10), Rice (10), South Carolina (9), Stanford (9), Texas (9), Tulane (9) and Wichita State (9). Of that list, only Tulane did not participate in the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

MIDWEEK PREVIEW

Baylor plays a pair of midweek games, both against Dallas Baptist. The Bears host the Patriots for a 6:30 p.m. CDT first pitch Tuesday, April 15, at Baylor Ballpark. The teams meet the following night at Patriot Field in Dallas; first pitch is scheduled for 6:30.

Baylor holds a 38-19 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to a May 5, 1979, doubleheader sweep by the Bears at Ferrell Field. The teams have not met since May 16, 2006, when Baylor earned a 15-6 victory in Waco. The Bears are 27-14 all-time against DBU in Waco and 9-6 all-time at Dallas; Baylor won both times the teams played at neutral sites.

Baylor is 9-5 against Dallas Baptist during head coach Steve Smith's tenure.