BAYLOR BEARS (16-35, 6-18 Big 12) Location: Waco, Texas  Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Mitch Thompson (Fort Hays St., 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF)	BAYLOR (16-35, 6-18) at TARLETON (24-24, 8-17) May 16, 2023 • 6:30 p.m. CT Stephenville, Texas • Tarleton Baseball Complex (1,000) LIVE STATS: BaylorStats.com WATCH: ESPN+ LISTEN: Learfield / ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM & 92.3 FM Talent:  Derek Smith, Max Calderone Baylor Social Media:
	TARLETON TEXANS (24-24, 8-17 WAC) Location: Stephenville, Texas Conference/Affiliation: Western Athletic Head Coach: Aaron Meade (Missouri State, 2014) Roster | Stats

STORYLINES

LEADING OFF

• Baylor Baseball finishes out its 2023 campaign with four games this week, including its final road contest at Tarleton on Tuesday, ahead of a three-game series with CSU Bakersfield on Thursday-Saturday.

• Baylor pitchers posted a 4.50 ERA over the last week, highlighted by a couple of strong starts by Jared Matheson and Mason Marriott.

• BU recorded its 21st double-digit hitting performance in the series finale against TCU on Sunday, with 12.

• Baylor is 15-7 this season when scoring six or more runs and 6-0 when scoring 10 or more runs.

• BU is also 11-2 this year when leading the ballgame after six innings and 11-4 when out-hitting its opponent.

• Junior RHP Jared Matheson worked a season-high 5.0 innings and struck out a personal-best six against Lamar on Wednesday, earning a no-decison in the loss.

• Sophomore RHP Mason Marriott made two starts for a total of seven innings pitched. He struck out four and gave up just three earned runs in outings against Grand Canyon and TCU.

• Junior RHP Grant Golomb owns a 0.93 ERA over his last four appearances. He has struck out 11 batters in 9.2 innings of work over that stretch.

• Sophomore C Cortlan Castle boasts a career-high 15-game on-base streak in which he is hitting .382 with four extra-base hits and six RBIs.

• Freshman INF Kolby Branch continues to lead the club in virtually every offensive category. He sits just two doubles shy of tying the program's doubles record by a freshman (18, Matt Williams, 1998).

FINISHING STRONG

• Baylor is looking for its first series win in its regular-season finale since 2018, when the Bears rolled along a stretch of 22 wins in 25 games before the postseason which included a Big 12 Tournament title.

• BU will recognize Blake Helton on Saturday's Senior Day to celebrate his five-year career with the Bears.

• Baylor will also recognize its three Spring 2023 graduates on Friday, in Brett Garcia, Adam Muirhead and Will Rigney.

ADD IT TO THE K-COUNTER

• The Bears have eclipsed double-digit strikeouts on the mound in 20 games so far this season.

• BU has punched out at least 13 opposing hitters in 10 games this year.

• Furthermore, Baylor has racked up 15 or more K's in four games this season, including a program record for Big 12 games with 18 at Oklahoma State on March 24.

• Baylor ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 464 strikeouts, though BU's 9.27 strikeouts per nine innings ranks second in the conference.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Baylor and Tarleton are tied in the all-time series, 1-1.

• The Texans claimed a 6-2 contest in Waco earlier this year on April 25.

• This will be BU's first trip to Stephenville in program history.

• Baylor is 8-13 this year against fellow teams from the state of Texas.

• BU has gone 7-7 this season in midweek games.

• This weekend's series between Baylor and CSU Bakersfield will be the first meeting between the two sides in program history.

PROBABLE STARTERS

• Tuesday, May 16 • 6:30 p.m. • RHP Jared Matheson (0-1, 4.73 ERA) vs. RHP Isiah Campa (1-1, 7.11 ERA)

BROADCAST INFORMATION

• Tuesday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

• Fans can also tune in to the Baylor radio broadcast on ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM/92.3 FM, featuring Derek Smith (play-by-play) and Max Calderone (color analyst) on the call.

• This weekend's series against the Roadrunners will be carried on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with John Morris handling play-by-play duties and former Baylor pitcher Pat Combs joining him to do color commentary.

• Smith will join up with Ryan Boyd and Nolan Bay to bring fans the Baylor home radio broadcast on ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM/92.3 FM to round out the regular season.



To stay up to date on all things Baylor baseball, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorBaseball.
 

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