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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. 27, 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">Offense Explodes as BSB Upsets No. 17 Auburn, 12-6<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">The Bears had a fast start thanks to two home runs from Jared McKenzie<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Media Link:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://baylorbea.rs/37RVUDI"><span style="color:#0563C1">http://baylorbea.rs/37RVUDI</span></a></span></b><o:p></o:p></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 style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Second-year freshman Jared McKenzie put on a show as Baylor upset No. 17 Auburn, 12-6, at
the Round Rock Classic at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas on Saturday. McKenzie finished with his second multi-home run game of the season and finished 3-for-5 with three RBI to help the Bears (2-3) down the Tigers (5-2).<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">In front of his hometown crowd, McKenzie got back on track with a solo homer on the second pitch of the game to put Baylor up 1-0. In his next at-bat, he once again went yard with
a two-run opposite field shot to extend the Bears lead to 3-0.<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 Bears kept the runs coming in the fourth after scoring on a double play and an Antonio Valdez single to left field, making it 5-0 in favor of 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">Auburn got on the board with a run in the home-half of the frame, however, Baylor responded in the top of the fifth with four runs. McKenzie scored on a dropped third strike with
the bases loaded, followed by outfielder Davion Downey’s two-RBI single furthering the lead to 8-1. Valdez came up with his second RBI-single of the day to push the advantage to 9-1.<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">After the Tigers made it 9-2, the Bears added three more runs in the sixth when third baseman Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo roped a two-RBI single into left field. Second-year freshman
Kyle Nevin followed up with another RBI-single to left to give BU the double-digit lead, 12-2.<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">Later in the eighth, Auburn homered to make the score 12-3 and in the ninth scored three more runs to cut the deficit to 12-6. With the bases loaded and two outs, fifth-year senior
Logan Freeman shut the door with a strikeout to end the 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">Fourth-year junior Tyler Thomas (1-0) impressed in his second start of the season, throwing five innings of work while one giving up one earned run and striking out three. Auburn’s
starting pitcher Richard Fitts (0-1) came up with the loss.<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">NOTES</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">• McKenzie’s leadoff home run was the first for a BU player since Richard Cunningham on March 3, 2019 against Texas State.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• McKenzie has totaled four home runs to lead the team this season after hitting none in 2020.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Nevin tied his career high by finishing 3-for-5 at the plate.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Pineda, fifth-year senior Andy Thomas, Valdez and third-year sophomore Chase Wehsener each have hits in every game this season.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• T. Thomas picked up his first win on the mound since May 14, 2019 against UT Arlington.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• The Bears have had double-digit hits in each of the games in 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• BU takes the 1-0 all-time series lead after the first meeting the two programs.<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">QUOTE FROM COACH ROD</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
“Overall I thought our offense did a good job yesterday and then today we continued to do that. Auburn had a really good pitcher on the mound and then Jared (McKenzie) leads things off with a home run to get the offense going and relaxes everyone a bit and
everyone followed suit. I thought they did a great job competing at the plate and getting some key swings with guys in scoring position. Tyler Thomas did a phenomenal job getting us deeper into the game and giving us a chance to win. Jimmy Winston came in
relief and did a really good job for us as well.”<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">WHAT’S NEXT</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
BU will finish the Round Rock Classic with Oklahoma in a non-conference matchup tomorrow at 5 p.m.<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@01D70D31.84A4A420" alt="signature_847507225"></span></a><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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