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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 – March 29, 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 Starts Nine-Game Home Stand with Texas State on Tuesday<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">The Bears and Bobcats will play tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m.<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:
</span></b><a href="http://baylorbea.rs/3r9TtUN"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">http://baylorbea.rs/3r9TtUN</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></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">WACO, 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">– Baylor
returns home to begin a nine-game home stand first against Texas State on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (13-10) will look to get back on track while the Bobcats (11-14) are seeking their first road win of 2021.<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 for the game are still available on BaylorBears.com/tickets.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="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>March 30 (Tues.)<br>
<b>Game Times: </b>6:30 p.m. <br>
<b>Site: </b>Waco, Texas / Baylor Ballpark (5,000) (50 percent capacity)<br>
<b>TV: </b>Big 12 Now (ESPN+)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Talent: John Morris (pxp), Pat Combs (color)<br>
<b>Radio:</b> ESPN 1660/92.3 FM <br>
• Talent: Derek Smith (pxp)<br>
<b>Live Stats</b>: StatBroadcast.com<br>
<b>Twitter Updates: </b>@BaylorBaseball<br>
<b>Series History: </b>BU leads, 53-26<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>Streak:</b> Texas State, W1<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>First Meeting:</b> March 26, 1919<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>Last Meeting:</b> March 3, 2020 (TXST, 12-2)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>Under Rodriguez:</b> 4-3<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">Tues. March 30 – Baylor RHP Brooks Helmer (0-0, 0-0 ERA) vs. Texas State RHP Zeke Wood (1-1, 5.30 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<b>STORY LINES</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• BU has lost six of its last seven games, but has gone 3-1 in midweek contests in 2021.<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 are still one of the top hitting teams in the country statistically with a .304 team average which is good enough for 2nd in the Big 12 and 16th in the nation. With the
Bears 243 hits in 23 games, BU ranks 2nd in the conference and 5th in the country. Six of Baylor’s top 10 hitters are hitting .300 or better.<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">• Jared McKenzie has a .350 average in 2021. McKenzie is 7th in the Big 12 in batting average, T-4th with six home runs, after not hitting any in 2020. He also ranks 3rd in the conference
in hits (36) and 10th nationally, in addition, he is 2nd in the league in runs scored (32) and 3rd in the Big 12 in total bases (62).<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 are 53-26 against Texas State, including sporting a 37-17 record in Waco. Head Coach Steve Rodriguez is 4-3 against the Bobcats since coming in, however, in the last meeting,
Texas State came away with the 12-2 victory on March 3, 2020 at Baylor Ballpark.<b><o:p></o:p></b></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 are 11-2 this season at Baylor Ballpark. BU has finished its home schedule with a .500 record or better in all 21 seasons (Since 1999) and is 467-208 all-time at the park.<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 transfer Jack Pineda has been a huge piece in Baylor’s success through the first 23 contests. Pineda is hitting .345 which is second on the team and 9th in the Big 12. His
30 hits are 7th in the Big 12, while his seven doubles on the season also leads the 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">• Newcomer Antonio Valdez was solid in the lineup after hitting .571 in three games last week. The JUCO transfer earned the start vs. TCU on Sunday and belted his first career home
run in the 5th inning. On the season, he is hitting an impressive .339 for the Bears.<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>
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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@01D724AF.746C72A0" alt="signature_1976218485"></span></a><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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