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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. 25, 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">Bears Set for Round Rock Classic<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Baylor will open with Texas A&M on Friday night at Dell Diamond<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Game Notes Link:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://baylor.box.com/s/r09ii3r550nrboh1z4nwtt2bj4v7w863">https://baylor.box.com/s/r09ii3r550nrboh1z4nwtt2bj4v7w863</a><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></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">ROUND ROCK, Texas</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">– The
Baylor baseball team is set to play in the second annual Round Rock Classic at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas, beginning on Friday night at 6 p.m. against Texas A&M (2-3). The Bears (1-2) will also take on No. 17 Auburn (5-0) on Saturday at 12 p.m. and
Oklahoma (2-2) for a non-conference matchup on Sunday at 5 p.m. to close out the event.<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">Individual tickets to all the games are available at RoundRockClassic.net.<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> Friday-Sunday, Feb. 26-28<br>
<b>Game Times: </b> 6 p.m./12 p.m./5 p.m.<br>
<b>Site:</b> Round Rock, Texas / Dell Diamond (11,631)<br>
<b>TV:</b> FloBaseball $ <br>
• Talent: Friday David Saltzman (pxp), Mike Hardge (color)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Saturday Bill Culhane (pxp), Mike Hardge (color)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Sunday Chris Mycoskie (pxp), Mike Hardge (color)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Radio:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">ESPN 1660/92.3 FM (Fri/Sun)<br>
• Talent: Derek Smith (pxp), Alex Phillips (color)<br>
<b>Live Stats</b>: StatBroadcast.com<br>
<b>Twitter Updates:</b>@BaylorBaseball<br>
<b>Series History: </b>184-130-4 (A&M leads)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Streak: A&M, W3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> First Meeting: April 9, 1904 2020<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Last Meeting: March 1, 2019<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">0-0 (Auburn)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> First meeting<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">50-48 (OU leads)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Streak: BU, W3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> First Meeting: 1936<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Last Meeting: May 22, 2019<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">Fri. Feb. 26 – Baylor RHP Blake Helton (0-0, 4.91 ERA) vs. Texas A&M LHP Dustin Saenz (0-1, 3.60 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Sat. Feb. 27 – Baylor LHP Tyler Thomas (0-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Auburn RHP Richard Fitts (0-0, 1.80 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Sun. Feb. 28 – Baylor TBD vs. Oklahoma TBD<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">STORY LINES</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
• Second-year freshman Jared McKenzie picked up right where he left off in 2020 through his first three games in 2021. After batting .406 in the shortened season, McKenzie already leads the Big 12 and is seventh nationally in hits with seven (7-for-15, .467
average) in the leadoff spot. The Round Rock native, added some pop to his bat this offseason as he crushed his first two career home runs in the season opener at UTRGV. His two bombs, five runs scored and 13 total bases also lead the Big 12. For his efforts
on Sunday, he was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week (2/22).<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">• JUCO transfers Jack Pineda and Antonio Valdez have provided a spark for the Bears in their first three contests. Pineda is hitting .375 early on, while also showing his strength
as a defender at second base. Valdez has a .364 average as the designated hitter for BU.<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">• Fourth-year junior Tyler Thomas had a strong first start on the mound in 2021, while throwing a career-best six innings and only allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out
four against UTRGV in the second game of the doubleheader on Sunday. Thomas threw a total of 6.2 innings last year, all in relief after coming off of surgery to remove a rib in June 2019 due to his Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
<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">• Through the first three games, BU leads the Big 12 in hits (9th nationally), batting average (13th nationally), home runs (12th nationally) and stolen bases (27th nationally). The
Bears are also second in the conference in runs with 24 (8.0 per game).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Individually, McKenzie leads the team and Big 12 in multiple categories, while fifth-year senior catcher Andy Thomas is first in the league in RBI with six through three games.
Second-year freshman Tre Richardson also leads the Big 12 and is seventh nationally in stolen bases with three.<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 hit 212 home runs in 240 games under Rodriguez, including five (leads Big 12) already in 2021. Before 2020, the Bears were coming off back-to-back-back seasons with at
least 50 home runs (51 in 2017, 54 in 2018, 57 in 2019) for the first time since 2008 (52), 2009 (73) and 2010 (57) and first time in the BBCOR era. In 2020, BU was on pace to hit over 50 home runs once again prior to the season getting canceled.<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="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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></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@01D70B64.6C0A2BC0" alt="signature_1936840385"></span></a><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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