Baylor Baseball: BSB Heads to Fort Worth to Play No. 12 TCU

[Rhodes, Zach]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 25, 2021

Baseball Heads to Fort Worth to Play No. 12 TCU
The Bears will open their Big 12 road slate against the Horned Frogs on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Game Notes: http://baylorbea.rs/3r9TtUN
For more information contact: Zach Rhodes, 919-247-7585, Zach_Rhodes at baylor.edu

FORT WORTH, Texas – Baylor is set for its Big 12 road opening series against No. 12 TCU on March 26-28 at Lupton Baseball Stadium at Williams-Reilly Field in Fort Worth, Texas. The Bears (13-7, 1-2 Big 12) will look to bounce back after losing three of their last four, while the 12th-ranked Horned Frogs (13-7, 0-0 Big 12) open their conference season.

SERIES INFO
Date: March 26-28 (Fri.-Sun.)
Game Times: 6:30 p.m./2 p.m./1 p.m.
Site: Fort Worth, Texas / Lupton Baseball Stadium (4,500)
TV: Big 12 Now (ESPN+)
• Talent: Chuck LaMendola (pxp), Connor Wanhanen (color)
Radio: ESPN 1660/92.3 FM
• Talent: Derek Smith (pxp)
Live Stats: GoFrogs.com
Twitter Updates: @BaylorBaseball
Series History: BU leads, 150-124
                        Streak: TCU, W1
                        First Meeting: April 4, 1904
                        Last Meeting: May 25, 2019 (TCU, 5-2)
                        Under Rodriguez: 10-5

PITCHING MATCHUP
Fri. March 26 – Baylor LHP Tyler Thomas (2-1, 1.93 ERA) vs. TCU Russell Smith (3-1, 2.39 ERA)
Sat. March 27 – Baylor RHP Blake Helton (1-1, 4.43 ERA) vs. TCU LHP Austin Krob (2-0, 3.16 ERA)
Sun. March 28 – Baylor RHP Hayden Kettler (2-0, 1.45 ERA) vs. TCU RHP Johnny Ray (1-1, 3.38 ERA)

STORY LINES
• The Bears have swept the last two series against the Horned Frogs in 2018 and 2019. In those six games, BU outscored TCU 49-11. Baylor also won the series in 2017 and 2016. Head Coach Steve Rodriguez is 10-5 all-time against TCU, including a 5-1 at Lupton Baseball Stadium.

• The Bears are first in the nation with 229 total hits and are averaging a league-best .325 batting average (6th in the nation). Eight of Baylor’s top 10 hitters are hitting .300 or better with Jared McKenzie (.374) and Jack Pineda (.372) leading the way. On the season, BU has had double-digit hits in 15-of-20 games.

• Friday night and Sunday afternoon starters, Tyler Thomas and Hayden Kettler have been on a tear in the rotation this season. T-Tom has continued to impress after compiling a 1.93 ERA while sporting a 2-1 record. The Keller, Texas native has a team-best 30 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a .184 batting average in five starts. Thomas has thrown more innings than he did last year as he threw a total of 6.2 innings, all in relief after coming off of surgery to remove a rib in June 2019 due to his Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

• As a fifth-year senior, Kettler has anchored down the rotation with a 1.45 ERA and 2-0 record in his three Sunday starts. The Coppell, Texas native has struck out 18 batters compared to two walks in 18.2 innings pitched. In his last two starts, he has tied his career-long outing by going seven innings vs. Xavier (March 14) and vs. Texas (March 21) and having a combined 0.64 ERA in those two starts

• Fifth-year senior Andy Thomas finished last week hitting 11-for-21 (.524) and a .905 slugging percentage, including two home runs, two doubles, seven runs scored and eight RBI in the five games. On the week he also finished second in the Big 12 in total bases (19). In his first Big 12 series in 2021, he went 8-for-15 (.615) with five runs and three RBI against No. 10 Texas. On the season, Thomas is hitting .355, with 24 RBI (3rd in Big 12) and 24 runs scored (5th in Big 12). For his efforts, he was named the Bobby Bragan Player of the Week on Wednesday.

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).

-BaylorBears.com-



Zach Rhodes | Associate Director of Athletics Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 919-247-7585 | O: 254-710-3784

[signature_1445975702]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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