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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 31, 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">Four-Game Series Starts Thursday as BSB Hosts NC A&T<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">The Bears and the Aggies will start their series tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark<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
baseball is set for a four-game series against North Carolina A&T beginning on Thursday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m. On Friday, the two sides will play a doubleheader with the seven-inning contest starting at 2 p.m., followed by a nine-inning game approximately 45
minutes after the conclusion of the first contest. The finale was moved up an hour to 12 p.m. on Saturday.<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 (14-10) are coming off a midweek win over Texas State on Tuesday, while the Aggies (7-17) are on a four-game losing streak. Individual tickets for the games 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>April 1-3 (Thurs.-Sat.)<br>
<b>Game Times: </b>6:30 p.m./2 p.m. (DH)/12 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: Pete Sousa (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>First Meeting<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">Thurs. April 1 – Baylor LHP Tyler Thomas (2-2, 2.08 ERA) vs. NC A&T RHP Michael Johnson (0-4, 4.50 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Fri. April 2 – Baylor RHP Blake Helton (1-2, 4.64 ERA) vs. NC A&T LHP Derek Martinez (0-2, 6.33 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Fri. April 2 – Baylor TBA vs. NC A&T RHP Xavier Meachem (0-4, 8.16 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Sat. April 3 – Baylor RHP Hayden Kettler (2-1, 4.79 ERA) vs. NC A&T TBA<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 an impressive 13-5 record against non-conference opponents 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">• Lefthanded pitcher Tyler Thomas was a bright spot for the Bears after carrying a no-hitter into the 5th inning of Friday night’s game at No. 12 TCU. Thomas finished the night throwing
6.2 innings while only allowing two runs on four hits and striking out seven. The 6.2 innings set a new career-long outing for the Keller, Texas native. On the season, Thomas is sporting a 2.08 ERA and leads the team in innings pitched (34.2) and strikeouts
(37).<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 .301 team average which is good enough for 2nd in the Big 12 and 21st in the nation. With the
Bears 249 hits in 24 games, BU ranks 2nd in the conference and 3rd in the country.<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 .349 average in 2021. McKenzie is 6th 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 (37) and 7th nationally, in addition, he is T-1st in the league in runs scored (32) and T-2nd in the Big 12 in total bases (63).<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">• Head Coach Steve Rodriguez is in his sixth year at the helm for the Bears, sporting a 154-108 overall record.<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 12-2 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 468-208 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">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@01D72646.175E6F30" alt="signature_236593247"></span></a><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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