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<a name="_Hlk490052374"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS –
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">March 17, 2023<br>
<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black">K-State Takes Conference Opener Over Baylor Baseball<br>
</span></b><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">Bears rack up 10 strikeouts for 14<sup>th</sup> time this season in Friday night loss<br>
</span></i><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">For more information contact:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"> Max Calderone, 254-265-1639,
</span><a href="mailto:Max_Calderone@Baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Max_Calderone@Baylor.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">
</span><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black"> </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br>
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</span><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">WACO, Texas –</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"> Kansas State (13-5, 1-0) got the best of Baylor baseball (6-12, 0-1) Friday night
at Baylor Ballpark, taking an 8-1 decision in a Big 12 Conference opener in Waco.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Despite striking out double-digit batters for the 14<sup>th</sup> time this season, the Bears were unable to muster up more than just one run against the Wildcats. Junior INF/OF
Cole Posey and sophomore C Cortlan Castle each collected two hits, while junior OF Hunter Simmons drove in BU’s lone run of the night.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">THE RUNDOWN<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">K-State took advantage of three walks and a Baylor error to score three runs in the top of the first. Then, three-straight hits in the top of the second inning increased the
‘Cats’ lead to 4-0.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">In the bottom of the third, Castle started things off with a single up the middle and moved to second on freshman INF Kolby Branch’s walk. With the base on balls, Branch extended
his on-base streak to 18 games. After redshirt freshman OF Gavin Brzozowski moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt, it was Simmons who delivered the RBI sac fly to get Baylor on the board.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">BU’s starting RHP and fifth-year senior Blake Helton settled in to allow just one more run before exiting in the fifth, trailing 5-1. While the Bears couldn’t spark a rally
in the middle to late innings, K-State tacked on a pair in the seventh and another in the eighth to increase its lead to 8-1.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">KSU’s bullpen held Baylor hitless in the final 3.1 frames of the ballgame, closing out the series-opening contest and handing BU its first Big 12 loss of the year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">HIGHLIGHTS</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Baylor still leads the all-time series, 53-33, over Kansas State.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• BU pitchers struck out double-digit batters for the 14<sup>th</sup> time in 18 games this season.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Friday night’s mark of 10 punchouts signaled the Bears’ third-straight game with at least 10 K’s and the seventh time in the last eight efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Freshman INF Kolby Branch extended his on-base streak to 18 games to start the season.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Fourth-year junior INF/OF Cole Posey tallied his third multi-hit game of the year and second in as many games.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Sophomore C Cortlan Castle collected his first double of the year as part of a career high-tying two-hit game, his first of the year and fourth of his career.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Junior OF Hunter Simmons notched his fourth RBI in his last four games.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">STAT OF THE GAME<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">14 – Baylor pitchers struck out double-digit batters for the 14<sup>th</sup> time in 18 games this season.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">QUOTABLE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Head Coach Mitch Thompson<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">On tonight’s game…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">"I don’t think we pitched the ball very well tonight. Obviously, we’re going to have a hard time winning a game only scoring one, but I don’t think we pitched very well. We walked
them too many times, it started in the first inning and again we were playing from behind right from the get-go. It’s a tough one. Give K-State credit, they took advantage of every opportunity we gave them.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">WHAT’S NEXT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Baylor (6-12, 0-1) and K-State (13-5, 1-0) return to the diamond for a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark in Waco.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">To stay up to date on all things Baylor baseball, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorBaseball.
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<i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><br>
-BaylorBears.com-</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">__________________________________</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;color:black"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#154734">Max Calderone</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"> | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (BSB, FB, EQ)</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">C: 254-265-1639</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<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@01D95921.74FA16C0" alt="signature_3660439757"></span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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