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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 – April 15, 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 Travels to Kansas for Weekend Series<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">The Bears and Jayhawks will start the three-game set on Friday at 6 p.m. in Lawrence<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
will continue its road trip with its second Big 12 series away from home when it travels to Lawrence, Kansas, to take on Kansas for a three-game set beginning on Friday, April 16 at 6 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">The Bears (22-11, 3-6 Big 12) are 57-21 all-time against the Jayhawks (20-13, 2-7 Big 12) with the last three-game series coming on March 30-31, 2019 in Lawrence. Baylor swept the
Saturday doubleheader before falling in the Sunday finale. BU also leads the series in Lawrence with a 21-12 record, while head coach Steve Rodriguez is 9-4 against KU.<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 16-18 (Fri.-Sun.)<br>
<b>Game Times: </b>6 p.m./2 p.m./12 p.m. <br>
<b>Site: </b>Lawrence, Kan. / Hoglund Park (2,500)<br>
<b>TV: </b>Big 12 Now (ESPN+)<br>
<b>Radio:</b> ESPN 1660/92.3 FM <br>
• Talent: Derek Smith (pxp)<br>
<b>Live Stats</b>: KUAthletics.com<br>
<b>Twitter Updates: </b>@BaylorBaseball<br>
<b>Series History: </b>BU leads, 57-21<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Streak:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> KU, W1<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>First Meeting:</b> 1957<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>Last Meeting:</b> March 30-31, 2019 (BU won the series)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>Under Rodriguez:</b> 9-4<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. April 16 – LHP Tyler Thomas (3-2, 1.97 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Cyr (3-4, 5.47 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Sat. April 17 – RHP Blake Helton (2-2, 4.22 ERA) vs. RHP Cole Larsen (4-2, 1.94 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Sun. April 18 – RHP Hayden Kettler (3-2, 4.41 ERA) vs. LHP Eli Davis (3-4, 6.18 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 won 9 of its last 10 games, the Baylor pitching staff has a 2.45 ERA over those games, while holding opponents to a .194 batting average.<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">• As a team, Baylor is near or at the top of the Big 12 and among the top 10 nationally in several different categories. The Bears are first in the Big 12 in hits with 332 (5th in
the nation) and 2nd in batting average with a .299 average (22nd nationally). BU is first in the league with five shutouts (3rd nationally) and second in the Big 12 in earned run average with a 3.72 ERA.<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 one of the most reliable bullpens in the country, with the combination of Boyd, Logan Freeman, Ryan Leckich, Jacob Ashkinos, Hambleton Oliver and Jimmy Winston. Boyd
and Leckich are tops in the conference in appearances and 17th nationally with 16 appearances in 2021. Freeman is 4th in the Big 12 with 15 appearances, while Oliver is 7th with 14. Winston leads the team with five wins (3rd in Big 12), while Ashkinos has
a perfect 3-0 record. Each is sporting an impressive ERA, led by Boyd (1.02), Freeman (2.25), Winston (2.55), Leckich (3.57), Oliver (3.63) and Ashkinos (3.86).<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">• Luke Boyd has picked up four saves in the Bears last five games. Boyd did not allow a run, hit or walk in his four combined appearances while striking out six. On the season, the
Ojai, Calif., native has a Big 12-best eight saves which is also good enough for 4th in the nation. Boyd has an impressive 1.02 ERA in 16 appearances, while converting all eight of his save attempts. In addition, he has struck out 26 batters and walked just
nine in 17.2 innings of work.<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 hitting .406 last season in the leadoff spot, in 2021 Jared McKenzie has a .366 average. McKenzie is 6th in the Big 12 in batting average and ranks 2nd in the conference in
hits (52) and 3rd nationally, in addition, he is 1st in the nation in runs scored (43) and 4th in the Big 12 in total bases (86). He also has seven home runs (10th in Big 12) this season after not hitting any in 2020.
<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@01D731D8.E69BDBF0" alt="signature_1037206818"></span></a><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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