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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Feb. 20, 2021</span></b><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Baseball Set to Travel to UTRGV for Three-Game Series<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">The Bears will play a doubleheader on Sunday, followed by a game on Monday to open 2021</span></i><i><u><span style="font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">For more information contact: </span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Zach Rhodes, 919-247-7585, </span><u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">Zach_Rhodes@baylor.edu</span></u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">EDINBURG, Texas – </span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">After a few schedule changes, Baylor baseball officially announced that it will head to Edinburg,
Texas this weekend to play three games against the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley at UTRGV Stadium. The Bears and Vaqueros will start with a doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The last game of the series will start at 1 p.m. on Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">BU’s originally scheduled three-game home series against Jacksonville State was canceled earlier this week due to weather conditions. The Bears were also scheduled to play the Vaqueros
on Monday at Baylor Ballpark before the change.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">SERIES INFO</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<b>Date: </b> Sun.-Mon. Feb. 21-22<br>
<b>Game Times: </b>(Sun.) 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. (Mon.) 1 p.m.<br>
<b>Site:</b>Edinburg, Texas / UTRGV Stadium (4,000) (Closed to the public)<br>
<b>TV/Stream:</b>WACDigitalNetwork.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Talent: Jonah Goldberg (pxp), Danny Elizondo (color) <br>
<b>Radio:</b>101.3 FM<br>
• Talent: Derek Smith (pxp)<br>
<b>Live Stats</b>: GoUTRGV.com<br>
<b>Twitter Updates:</b>@BaylorBaseball<br>
<b>Series History: </b>Baylor leads 1-0<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Streak</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">: BU has won the only meeting<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>First Meeting</b>: Feb. 26, 2020 (BU won, 2-0)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>Last Meeting</b>: Feb. 26, 2020 (BU won, 2-0)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>Under Rodriguez</b>: 1-0<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">PITCHING MATCHUP</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Sun. Feb. 21 – Baylor RHP Blake Helton vs. UTRGV RHP Kevin Stevens (Game One)
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Sun. Feb. 21 – Baylor LHP Tyler Thomas vs. UTRGV RHP Kevin Palm (Game Two)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Mon. Feb. 22 – Baylor RHP Jimmy Winston vs. UTRGV RHP J.C. Ariza<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<b>STORY LINES</b><br>
• Head Coach Steve Rodriguez enters his sixth year at the helm for the Bears, sporting a 140-98 overall record. Rodriguez is 3-2 at BU in season-opening games, while winning the last four season-opening series.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• The strength of BU’s Bullpen in 2020 was on another level with Luke Boyd, Logan Freeman, Tyler Thomas combining for a 0.33 ERA in 27 IP between the trio. Baylor also returns seven
of nine position player starters, including second-year freshman outfielder Jared McKenzie who was named a 2020 Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball), after hitting .406 with 28 base knocks in 16 games.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Three Bears were selected to the 2021 Preseason All-Big 12 Team with Boyd, McKenzie and Andy Thomas all earning the distinction. Boyd was also named to the NCBWA Preseason All-American
First Team.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Five pitchers including Boyd, Freeman, Hayden Kettler, Ryan Leckich and Jimmy Winston are all back, along with veteran catcher Andy Thomas.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Second-year freshman OF Jared McKenzie had a hit in 14-of-16 games last year and had multi-hit performances in 10 of those 16 games. The 2020 Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball
News) totaled 28 hits last season which ranked 12th-most in the nation and the highest hit total of any freshman in the country. Likewise, his batting average of .406 is the highest of any freshman in the Big 12 and ranked third in a power-packed Big 12. He
also ranked 21st nationally with an average of 1.73 hits per game. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Kyle Nevin is coming off of an impressive first season with the program as he hit .350 at the plate, while tying for the team lead in triples in 2020 with two. Evan Godwin held
his own in the rotation as a freshman in 2020, as he made three starts and finished third on the team in innings pitched (18.0) and second in strikeouts with 17. Hambleton Oliver ended last season with a stellar 1.86 ERA in six appearances, including two starts.
Oliver compiled eight strikeouts in 9.2 innings.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Baylor has a good mix of returners along with 20 new faces for the 2021 season.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor baseball, follow the team on Facebook (Baylor Baseball), Twitter (@BaylorBaseball) and Instagram (@BaylorBaseball).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">-BaylorBears.com-</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">Zach Rhodes</span></b><span style="color:black"> | Associate Director of Athletics Communications<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">C: 919-247-7585 | O: 254-710-3784<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://baylorbears.com/" title="http://baylorbears.com/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="160" height="44" style="width:1.6666in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D70798.44874C60" alt="signature_1610310369"></span></a><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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