April 24, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

GAMES 43-45 • APRIL 25-27

BAYLOR (24-18, 8-10) vs. No. 8 NEBRASKA (30-7-1, 13-4-1)

FRIDAY: 6:30 p.m. CDT -- Presented by Hillcrest Baptist Medical

SATURDAY: 6:30 p.m. CDT -- Little League Day ($3 tickets for players & coaches); Fox College Sports TV

SUNDAY: 1:00 p.m. CDT -- Family Sundays (free admission 12 & under); softee baseballs first 500 fans

Baylor returns to action this weekend, hosting Nebraska for a Big 12 Conference series at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears and the Huskers meet Friday at 6:30 p.m. CDT, Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. This is the seventh Big 12 series this season for both teams. Saturday's game will be televised on Fox College Sports Central and DirecTV channel 669.

The Bears (24-18, 8-10) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 25-13 victory Wednesday night at Texas State. Baylor is 4-6 in its last 10 games. The Bears are 17-7 at home, but Baylor has suffered three consecutive losses at home for only the second time in the last four seasons. The Bears are 3-3 in Big 12 seriesn, winning two of three home series. Baylor is unranked in all four major polls but remains among teams receiving votes for the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll.

The Huskers (30-7, 13-4-1) won both games of a home-and-home, two-game set against Creighton midweek. Nebraska won 4-3 Tuesday night in Lincoln and 16-7 Wednesday night at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb. The Huskers, who are 7-3 in their last 10 games, are 8-5 on the road, all coming on opponents' home fields. Nebraska is 5-1 in Big 12 series with a 2-1 mark in road series. The Huskers are ranked eighth nationally in this week's Baseball America Top 25. Nebraska also is ranked eighth in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll, 10th by Collegiate Baseball and 13th by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Baylor and Nebraska have played five common opponents this season -- Kansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas. The Bears are 8-5 against those teams, including a non-conference loss to Texas. The Huskers are 10-4-1 against those teams.

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 Nebraska series; for more information, visit the Baylor All-Access link at www.BaylorBears.com.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS

FRIDAY

Baylor: RHP Kendal Volz, So. (3-4, 4.31 ERA, 56.1 IP, 21 BB, 64 K)

Nebraska: RHP Johnny Dorn, Sr. (5-1, 2.60 ERA, 62.1 IP, 16 BB, 66 K)

SATURDAY

Baylor: RHP Shawn Tolleson, Fr. (4-2, 4.25 ERA, 55.0 IP, 21 BB, 45 K)

Nebraska: RHP Thad Weber, Sr. (7-2, 4.23 ERA, 55.1 IP, 15 BB, 54 K)

SUNDAY

Baylor: RHP Willie Kempf, So. (5-1, 3.75 ERA, 50.1 IP, 25 BB, 36 K)

Nebraska: RHP Aaron Pribanic, Jr. (3-2, 3.86 ERA, 53.2 IP, 22 BB, 44 K)

THE SERIES

Overall: Baylor leads 28-20-1

Waco: Baylor leads 18-4-1

Lincoln: Nebraska leads 10-7

Neutral Site: Nebraska leads 6-3

Since Start of Big 12: Baylor leads 20-16

Regular Season: Baylor leads 18-10

Postseason: Nebraska leads 6-2

Smith vs. Nebraska: 21-16

First Meeting: at Baylor 9, Nebraska 7 [4/4/1938]

Last Meeting: at Nebraska 6, Baylor 4 [5/13/2007]

COACHES

BAYLOR: Steve Smith

Alma Mater: Baylor, 1986

Career Record: 514-329-1 [14th season]

Record at Baylor: 514-329-1 [14th season]

NEBRASKA: Mike Anderson

Alma Mater: Northern Colorado, 1990

Career Record: 244-107-1 [6th season]

Record at Nebraska: 244-107-1 [6th season]

TELEVISION

FOX COLLEGE SPORTS CENTRAL (Saturday)

Dan McLaughlin, play-by-play

Keith Moreland, color

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.BaylorBears.com

BAYLOR-NEBRASKA SERIES

Baylor and Nebraska meet for the 50th, 51st and 52nd times this weekend. The Bears hold a 28-20-1 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to a 9-7 Baylor victory April 4, 1938. The series is heavily favored to the home team; Baylor is 18-4-1 against Nebraska in Waco but 7-10 against the Huskers at Lincoln. The teams have met nine times at neutral sites, eight of which were at the Big 12 Championship; Nebraska has a 6-3 lead in neutral-site meetings.

Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1997, the Bears hold a 20-16 advantage in the series. Baylor is 18-10 against the Huskers in regular-season Big 12 games, winning five of nine series and all four series in Waco. The 1998 series was rain-shortened to one game (a Baylor victory), while the 1999 series was completely lost to inclement weather.

Baylor swept the series in 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2006. Nebraska swept the series in 2001. The teams split the series with the home team winning two-of-three at Baylor in 2002 and at Nebraska in 2003 and 2005. Baylor is 12-1 against Nebraska at Baylor Ballpark.

TEAM NOTES

Baylor was 23-19 overall and 7-11 through 42 games last season. The Bears went 8-5 the remainder of the regular season, including a 5-4 mark in Big 12 play, and won three of four games at the Big 12 Championship. That run propelled Baylor into its ninth NCAA Tournament in 10 years. ... After surrendering only 22 home runs in the season's first 35 games, the Bears have allowed 21 home runs over the last seven games. This stretch comes on the heels of a five-game span without allowing any home runs. Baylor pitchers have allowed at least two home runs in four straight games and in five of the last six. ... With 39 home runs in 42 games this season, Baylor batters already have eclipsed the 2006 team's 63-game total of 35. The Bears are on pace to hit 59 home runs in 55 regular-season games this year; that would be the most by a Baylor team since the 2003 squad hit 83 and would seventh in school history. ... Baylor's staff ERA is 8.59 in the ninth inning this season; the Bears have been out-scored 31-8 in the ninth. The Bears' ninth-inning ERA was 3.98 last season, 3.77 in 2006, 2.23 in 2005 and 3.21 in 2004. The only other inning in which the Bears' staff ERA is higher than 5.79 is the seventh, in which the Bears have posted an 8.21 ERA. Not coincidentally, those also are the Bears' two highest innings in walks per nine innings, allowing 6.9 in the seventh and 7.7 in the ninth; Baylor is allowing 3.2 walks per nine innings elsewhere in the game. ... Baylor has scored only four runs in four Friday-night Big 12 road games; only once did the Bears score prior to the seventh (a one-run sixth inning last Friday at Texas A&M). The Bears hit .150 in those four games, and Raynor Campbell has six of the team's 18 hits. Baylor is hitting .313 (32-for-67) in Friday night home games in Big 12 play.

PLAYER NOTES

Ben Booker has six home runs this season after hitting four home runs in his first two seasons combined. He has posted a .220 batting average (18-for-82) in the leadoff spot; Booker is hitting .323 (20-for-62) elsewhere in the lineup. ... Raynor Campbell has hit safely in five of the last eight games, all of which have been multiple-hit games with a trio of three-hit outings. Despite missing the season's first 15 games due to injury, he ranks sixth on the team with 11 multiple-hit games, just three behind team leader Aaron Miller. Campbell started the year 0-for-15 in Big 12 play; since then, he is hitting .489 (23-for-47) in conference action. ... Dustin Dickerson has not gone hitless in consecutive games since March 28, hitting safely in 16 of 19 games with a .373 average (28-for-75) in that span. He has four multiple-hit games in four of the last seven games, including a trio of three-hit outings, and he has produced three multiple-RBI games in that time. ... Shaver Hansen has gone hitless in consecutive games only twice this season with no three-game droughts. ... Adam Hornung is riding a career-long, eight-game hitting streak; he is hitting .333 (12-for-36) during that stretch with 10 RBI, producing at least one RBI in six of the eight games. He also has a 17-game hitting streak at Baylor Ballpark and leads the Bears with a .404 average (36-for-89) at home this season. ... Willie Kempf is 5-1 in nine starts; he left with the lead in all three of his no-decisions. Baylor is 7-2 in his starts. ... Randall Linebaugh has averaged 11.48 strikeouts per nine innings in his last six appearances (17 strikeouts in 13.1 innings). ... Tim Matthews has posted a 2.19 ERA in 12.1 innings over nine relief appearances. He has eight strikeouts against no walks in relief outings. ... Aaron Miller is 9-for-18 (.500) over the last four games with five doubles. He has reached safely in nine straight games. Miller leads the team with nine home runs, tops in the Big 12 among underclassmen. He would be the first underclassman to lead Baylor in home runs since Chris Durbin did so with 14 in 2001. ... Jon Ringenberg has hit safely in six of his seven starts this season, including each of the last five. In fact, he has gone hitless in only two of the last nine games in which he has appeared -- both were pinch-hit appearances. ... Mace Thurman has allowed a staff-low 1.21 extra-base hits per nine innings this season, surrendering three doubles and one home run in 29.2 innings. ... Shawn Tolleson has logged at least 5.0 innings in seven of nine starts; he did not escape the third inning in the other two outings. He has averaged 10.90 strikeouts per nine innings over his last three starts (21 strikeouts in 17.1 innings). Tolleson is the only Baylor starter to pitch into the ninth inning this season; he has done so three times with two complete games. ... Kendal Volz has posted a 2.11 ERA (five earned runs in 21.1 innings) over his last three starts, but he is 0-2 in those three games (Baylor won the no-decision). He has been given six total runs of support in those games, including one run twice. ... Landis Ware snapped an 0-for-26 slump with an RBI infield single Tuesday against Texas. ... Beamer Weems hit .172 (11-for-64) with three extra-base hits, eight RBI and five errors in the season's first 19 games. Since then, he is hitting .313 (26-for-83) with eight extra-base hits, 11 RBI and three errors in 22 games since. His average ranks third on the team and he is tied for the team lead with 20 runs scored in that time. Weems leads the team with six three-hit games.

BAYLOR vs. RANKED OPPONENTS

Baylor is 151-229-1 all-time against teams ranked in the Baseball America rankings, which began in 1981; records for weekly rankings in other polls are not available. The Bears are 73-114 all-time against teams ranked in the top 10, 98-142 against ranked opponents in conference play and 84-83-1 against ranked opponents at home.

All nine of Baylor's games against ranked teams this season have come in Big 12 play. The Bears are 2-7 in those games, going 2-1 against then-No. 23 Oklahoma State, 0-3 at then-No. 4 Missouri and 0-3 against then-No. 19 Texas A&M. Four of the seven losses have been by three runs or less, including three one-run losses.

Baylor's two wins against ranked teams is its lowest total since 1994 when the Bears were 1-5. However, Baylor was 2-9 against ranked opponents entering the final weekend of April last season; the Bears faced 18th-ranked Texas A&M that weekend and lost the first two games of the series to fall to 2-11. Baylor won the finale and finished 4-4 in its final eight games against ranked opponents.

BAYLOR ON TELEVISION

Baylor is 28-31 all-time in televised games since 1988. The Bears are 0-2 in such games this season, falling 3-2 at TCU and 8-2 Tuesday night against Texas; both of those games were on CBS College Sports. The Bears are 3-10 all-time in games carried by the Fox Sports Network; however, this is Baylor's first ever game on Fox College Sports.

WILD WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT SAN MARCOS

Baylor snapped a five-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 25-13, eight-inning victory at Texas State. Each starter had at least two hits; Adam Hornung and Aaron Miller had four hits each, while Dustin Dickerson and Brooks Kimmey both had three-hit nights. Kimmey reached safely in all six plate appearances, while Jon Ringenberg reached in five of six trips to the plate; both Kimmey and Ringenberg scored five times. Miller had five RBI, all with two outs, while Ben Booker and Raynor Campbell each had four RBI. In all that, Baylor had just one home run -- a three-run Booker shot to left-center in an eight-run eighth.

The Bears established a school record for runs in a road game, eclipsing the previous mark set March 23, 1984, in a 30-21 loss at Texas Tech (two days later, the Bears defeated the Red Raiders 20-19). It also was the third-highest run total in school history, the second-highest against a Division I opponent. The Bears scored 32 runs against Rice in 1937 and against Minnesota in 1986, 28 runs against Division III Howard Payne in 1999 and 27 against SMU in 1978; all those games were in Waco. Baylor tallied 24 hits on the night, the most since a 26-hit game against TCU in 2003. The Bears scored in six consecutive innings (fourth third through eighth) for the first time since scoring in each of the first six frames in the 2003 TCU game.

WEEKEND WARRIORS

Baylor is 17-10 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 and at Kansas State. In fact, dating back to last season, the Bears have won 20 of 30 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 is 10-7 in such games this season. However, the Bears are 3-7 in one-run games after winning their first seven. The 10 one-run wins and the 17 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 a school record for 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 seven games in their opponents' final at bat, including four in Big 12 play.

BAYLOR IN BIG 12 CONFERENCE STATISTICAL RANKINGS

Baylor ranks seventh in batting average (.284), seventh in ERA (5.10) and third in fielding percentage (.970) through games of April 23. In league games, the Bears rank eighth in batting average (.259), fourth in ERA (5.11) and sixth in fielding percentage (.973).

Individually in all games: RF Aaron Miller is tied for fifth in home runs (9), tops among underclassmen; he also is third in doubles (16), ninth in total bases (93) and 10th in slugging percentage (.589). ... 1B Dustin Dickerson is tied for fourth in doubles (15). ... 3B Shaver Hansen is third in triples (5), while OF Ben Booker is tied for fith (1). ... RHP Willie Kempf is 16th in ERA (3.75) and tied for seventh in wins (5). ... RHP Kendal Volz is third in strikeouts (64) and in strikeouts per nine innings (10.22); he also ranks ninth in innings (56.1). ... RHP Shawn Tolleson is second in shutouts (2) and tied for third in complete games (2). ... RHP Nick Cassavechia is sixth in saves (5).

Individually in league games: CF/2B Raynor Campbell is 10th in batting average (.371), tied for seventh in hits (23) and tied for eighth in doubles (5). He also is tied with Booker, Hansen and 15 others for eighth in triples (1). ... Tolleson ranks seventh in ERA (3.24), while Kempf is 15th (4.36). They are tied with four others for fifth in wins (3). ... Tolleson also ranks fourth in innings (41.2), eighth in strikeouts (35), tied for first in shutouts (2), tied for second in complete games (2) and fifth in opponents' batting average (.218). ... Volz is tied for first in strikeouts (43) and leads the conference in strikeouts per nine innings (10.95) by more than one strikeout per innings. ... RHP Tim Matthews is tied for fourth in saves (2), while RHP Craig Fritsch is tied for ninth (1).

NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS

Through games of April 20, Baylor ranked ninth in double plays turned (43) and 20th in double plays turned per game (1.08). The Bears' fielding percentage (.971) ranked 26th nationally. Baylor also ranked 34th in walks drawn (185), 34th in triples (14) and 62nd in home runs (38).

Individually, 3B Shaver Hansen was 14th in triples (5) and 35th in triples per game (0.13). RHP Kendal Volz was 29th in strikeouts (64) and 42nd in strikeouts per nine innings (10.22)

TOLLESON, VOLZ LOOKING FOR SUPPORT

In 12 combined Big 12 Conference starts, RHPs Shawn Tolleson and Kendal Volz have garnered a total of 34 runs of support (2.8 per game) with 35.3 percent of those runs (12) coming in one game (April 5 vs. Kansas).

The Bears are 1-5 in Volz' six Big 12 starts, scoring 13 runs in those five games (five vs. Oklahoma State, none at Missouri, two at Oklahoma, four vs. Kansas, one at Kansas State and one at Texas A&M). The Bears are 3-3 in Tolleson's six Big 12 starts, scoring 21 runs in those five games (three vs. Oklahoma State, none at Missouri, two at Oklahoma, 12 vs. Kansas, three at Kansas State and one vs. Texas A&M).

Baylor has given Tolleson 12-plus runs in two of his nine starts this season -- 16 at Mississippi State and 12 against Kansas. In Tolleson's other seven starts, the Bears have produced 25 runs (3.6 per game); Tolleson has posted a 3.65 ERA in those seven games with only a 2-2 record.

Volz earned 50.0 percent of his run support this season in one game -- 20 of 40 runs in a 20-6 victory over Illinois. He has been given 2.5 runs of support per game in his other eight starts.

BAYLOR IS EXTRA SPECIAL

Baylor is 15-6 in extra-inning games since the start of the 2003 season, including a 1-2 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 59 times, including a program-best 12 games in 2005. Over the past 20 years, the Bears are 28-31 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.

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 two midweek games for the sixth consecutive week. The Bears hit the road Tuesday to face UT Arlington at Clay Gould Ballpark. Baylor returns home Wednesday, hosting Sam Houston State in a makeup of the March 16 game that was rained out. First pitch for both games is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT.

Baylor and UT Arlington meet for the 101st time Wednesday. This is the eight most-played series in Baylor baseball history; Baylor has played more games against UTA than against any other program that was not a Southwest Conference member. In fact, the Bears have played more games against UTA since the series began Feb. 26, 1973, than against any other program.

The Bears hold a 72-28 advantage in the all-time series, including a 28-16 edge in games played at Arlington. Baylor has won each of the last seven meetings, including a 6-5 decision earlier this month at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears are 26-8 against the Mavericks during head coach Steve Smith's tenure.

Baylor and Sam Houston State meet for the 93rd time Wednesday, making this the ninth most-played series in Baylor baseball history. The Bears hold a 55-37 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to March 7, 1952 (result unknown). Baylor is 8-2 against Sam Houston State under head coach Steve Smith.

This is the first meeting between the programs since a 10-8 Baylor victory April 13, 2004 in Waco. Prior to that, Baylor and Sam Houston State had not played since April 13, 1999.