Baylor
Houston
BSB Hits the Road for Weekend Series at Houston
3/26/2026 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
Bears looking for first series win at Houston of Big 12 era
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BAYLOR BEARS (13-11, 2-4 Big 12) Location: Waco, Texas Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Mitch Thompson (Fort Hays St., 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF) |
BAYLOR (13-11, 2-4) at HOUSTON (13-11, 1-5) March 27, 2026 • 6:30 p.m. CT March 28, 2026 • 1:00 p.m. CT March 29, 2026 • 1:00 p.m. CT Houston, Texas • Schroeder Park (5,000) LIVE STATS: BaylorBears.com/Stats WATCH: ESPN+ Talent: Matt Pedersen, Kyle Rogers LISTEN: ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM/92.3 FM Talent: Derek Smith, Tom Barfield Baylor Social Media:    |
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HOUSTON COUGARS (13-11, 1-5 Big 12) Location: Houston, Texas Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Todd Whitting (Houston, 1995) Roster | Stats |
STORYLINES
LEADING OFF
• Baylor Baseball heads back down to the city of Houston for the second time this season, this time for a weekend series against the hometown Cougars. BU went 1-2 at the BRUCE BOLT College Classic held at the Astros' Daikin Park in Week 3 of the season in its most recent trip to the Space City.
• The Bears are coming off a 16-7 midweek victory over Incarnate Word, one of their most impressive offensive performances on the year, scoring a season-high 16 runs on 16 hits, their ninth double-digit hitting output of 2026.
• BU stole a season-high seven bases on Tuesday night, its most in a single game since swiping seven against Tennessee on March 5, 2022.
• Freshman OF Brady Janusek also became the first Bear since 2024 to steal three bases in a single game.
• Baylor's 39 stolen bases through 24 games are its most at this point in a single season since 2011 (47).
• BU opened the year on a 10-game winning streak at home, its longest home winning streak to start a season since 2021.
• The home winning streak extended to 11 games when counting the 2025 home finale, making it Baylor's longest home winning streak since 2012, when the Bears won 22 in a row in Waco.
• Baylor has played nine games against ranked opponents so far in 2026, its most in a season by March 26 since 2017 (9).
• Baylor has turned 22 double plays in 24 games, which ranks third in the Big 12 and 24th nationally.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COUGARS
• Baylor is 91-74 all-time against Houston, but just 1-5 against the Cougars under fourth-year head coach Mitch Thompson.
• Prior to UH joining the Big 12 in 2024, the Bears had not played at Schroeder Park since the 2017 Houston Regional.
• BU is looking for its first road win at Houston since 2016, and first series win at Houston since 1996.
• This will be just the fourth weekend series between Baylor and Houston in the Big 12 era.
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
• Fri. March 27 • 6:30 p.m. CT • RHP Lucas Davenport (1-0, 1.98 ERA) vs. RHP Connor Udland (1-1, 5.49 ERA)
• Sat. March 28 • 1:00 p.m. CT • RHP Zack Wallace (2-1, 3.80 ERA) vs. RHP Kendall Hoffman (1-2, 4.41 ERA)
• Sun. March 29 • 1:00 p.m. CT • LHP Ethan Calder (1-3, 4.39 ERA) vs. RHP Paul Schmitz (2-1, 7.66 ERA)
WHO'S HOT
• Redshirt junior INF Travis Sanders carries a 27-game on-base streak into the weekend series, dating back to the 2025 season.
• Freshman OF Brady Janusek has racked up 10 hits in his last five games, hitting .455 (10-for-22).
• Fifth-year senior RHP Caleb Bunch has allowed just one run over his last 10.2 innings pitched and seven appearances, logging two wins and three saves across that span.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
• Over the last 11 seasons, the Bears have stolen 40+ bases just three times. They enter this weekend with 39 on the year.
• Redshirt junior INF Travis Sanders is sitting at 97 career hits entering the weekend, with 89 of them coming in his two seasons with the Bears.
• Senior LHP Ethan Calder enters the weekend with 188 career innings pitched. No BU pitcher has eclipsed the 200-inning mark since Tyler Thomas (2018-2022).
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
• Through 24 games, 47% of Baylor's total plate appearances have been taken by players with less than 55 career PA's entering the 2026 season. True or redshirt freshmen account for 35% of the team's total plate appearances.
• That group also accounts for 47% of the team's hits, including 36% from true or redshirt freshmen.
• 51% of Baylor's hits have come from players who have previously redshirted in their careers.
• 45% of Baylor's IP this season have been thrown by players who have thrown less than five career innings at the Div. I level.
• Baylor has nine true freshmen on its 2026 roster and an additional four redshirt freshmen.
• Through 24 games, 19 Bears have made their Baylor debuts (9 hitters, 10 pitchers), including 10 true or redshirt freshmen.
BROADCAST INFO
• All three games this weekend will be available to watch on ESPN+.
• Fans can also tune in to the Baylor Sports Media Network radio call featuring Derek Smith and Tom Barfield on the call on ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM/92.3 FM.
SIZZLING SANDERS
• Redshirt junior INF and Preseason All-Big 12 shortstop Travis Sanders is off to a blistering start at the plate, batting .386 (34-for-88) through his first 22 games.
• Sanders became the fastest Bear to collect 20 hits in a season since Davis Wendzel in 2019, as the duo both recorded their 20th knocks in their 43rd at-bats of the year.
• Prior to Wendzel, only Nathan Orf (39 at-bats) was quicker to 20 hits in a season in 2013.
• Sanders is batting an impressive .596 on balls in play this season.
FACING THE BEST OF THE BEST
• Through 24 games, Baylor own's the nations No. 7 Strength of Schedule (WarrenNolan.com)
• BU has faced seven ranked opponents for a total of nine games, and six of the top-35 RPI teams at this point in the year (No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Southern Miss, No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 15 Oregon State, No. 27 West Virginia and No. 35 Kansas State).
• Baylor currently sits at No. 39 in the RPI entering this weekend's series at Houston.
• Baylor will play a combined 22 games against 11 NCAA Tournament teams in 2026, including three conference champions from a year ago.
• 14 30-game winners headline the 2026 campaign, including six teams that won 40 or more games last season.
• 52% of this year's schedule features opponents that finished 2025 with a top-75 RPI.
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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