Baylor Baseball Takes Center Stage at Shriners Children’s College Classic

Thu Mar 3 10:35:14 CST 2022

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 3, 2022

Baylor BSB Takes Center Stage at Shriners Children’s College Classic
Bears to face No. 23 UCLA, No. 17 Tennessee and No. 7 LSU at Minute Maid Park
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

[BU Logo]
BAYLOR BEARS (4-4, 0-0 Big 12)
Location: Waco, Texas
Conference/Affiliation: Big 12
Head Coach: Steve Rodriguez<https://baylorbears.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1811> (Pepperdine, 2001)

Roster<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster> | Stats<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/stats/2022> | Game Notes (PDF)<https://baylorbears.com/documents/2022/3/3/BU_BSB_Game_Notes_2022_09_11_Shriners.pdf>
BAYLOR (4-4, 0-0) vs UCLA (6-3, 0-0)
March 4, 2022 • 11:00 a.m. CT
BAYLOR (4-4, 0-0) vs TENNESSEE (8-0, 0-0)
March 5, 2022 • 3:00 p.m. CT
BAYLOR (4-4, 0-0) vs LSU (8-1, 0-0)
March 6, 2022 • 7:00 p.m. CT
Houston, Texas • Minute Maid Park (41,168)

LIVE STATS: BaylorStats.com<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=396440&vislive=bay>
WATCH: MLB Network / Astros.com<https://www.mlb.com/astros>
LISTEN (Friday): Learfield / ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM & 92.3 FM
Talent:  Derek Smith (PxP), Max Calderone<https://baylorbears.com/staff.aspx?staff=616> (Analyst)
LISTEN (Saturday): Fox Sports Central Texas 1330 AM & 93.9 FM
Talent:  Derek Smith (PxP), Max Calderone<https://baylorbears.com/staff.aspx?staff=616> (Analyst)
LISTEN (Sunday): Learfield / ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM & 92.3 FM & SiriusXM 375
Talent:  Matt Pederson (PxP), Jimmy Winston<https://baylorbears.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=10429> (Analyst)

Baylor Social Media: [auto twitter icon] <https://twitter.com/BaylorBaseball>  [instagram png] <https://www.instagram.com/baylorbaseball/?hl=en>  [Facebook PNG] <https://www.facebook.com/BaylorBaseball/>
[UCLA]
UCLA BRUINS (6-3, 0-0 Pac-12)
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Conference/Affiliation: Pac-12
Head Coach: John Savage (Nevada, 1991)

Roster<https://uclabruins.com/sports/baseball/roster> | Stats<https://uclabruins.com/sports/baseball/stats> <https://uapblionsroar.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats> | Game Notes (PDF)<https://uclabruins.com/documents/2022/3/2/0302_Notes_Shriners.pdf>
[Tenn]
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS (8-0, 0-0 SEC)
Location: Knoxville, Tenn.
Conference/Affiliation: SEC
Head Coach: Tony Vitello (Missouri, 2002)

Roster<https://utsports.com/sports/baseball/roster> | Stats<https://utsports.com/sports/baseball/stats> <https://uapblionsroar.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats> | Game Notes (PDF)<https://utsports.com/documents/2022/3/3/WK3_UT_BSB_NOTES_SHRINERS_CLASSIC_FINAL_.pdf>
[LSU]
LSU TIGERS (8-1, 0-0 SEC)
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Conference/Affiliation: SEC
Head Coach: Jay Johnson (Point Loma, 2001)

Roster<https://lsusports.net/sports/bsb/roster/> | Stats<https://lsusports.net/sports/bsb/cumestats/season/2022/> <https://uapblionsroar.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats> | Game Notes

STORYLINES

TIME TO SHRINE

• Baylor is participating the Shriners Children's College Classic for the fourth time since the tournament rebranded in December 2015. This is BU's 13th appearance in the annual tournament hosted by the Astros Foundation.

• The Bears are 6-3 at Shriners under seventh-year head coach Steve Rodriguez, including sweeping the SEC (Missouri, Arkansas, LSU) in its last appearance (2020) at the tournament.

• After a 9-0 win at Rice on Wednesday, the Bears remained in Houston for the weekend tournament, which features a six-team field including No. 1/1 Texas, No. 7/8 LSU, No. 17/16 Tennessee, NR/No. 23 UCLA and Oklahoma.

• BU closes out its five-game road stretch at Abilene Christian on Wednesday, March 9, before returning home for a three-game series against Columbia.

• Baylor is 49-47 in road games under seventh-year head coach Steve Rodriguez and 15-18 in neutral site contests under Rod.

• The Bears will stay close to home in 2022, as 46 of its 52 regular-season contests will be played in the state of Texas.

• Baylor doesn't leave the state of Texas until April 8-10, when it travels to take on West Virginia in Morgantown.

SERIES HISTORY BY THE NUMBERS

• Baylor is 4-7 all-time against UCLA, including a 1-3 mark under Rodriguez. The Bears and Bruins last squared off in the 2020 Los Angeles Regional, with then-No. 1 UCLA eliminated BU, 11-6.

• Baylor is 1-0 all-time against Tennessee, taking the only previous meeting, 3-2, on Feb. 12, 2005.

• Baylor is 3-9 all-time against LSU, including a 1-1 mark under Rodriguez. The Bears and Tigers last met at the 2020 Shriners Children's College Classic, as the Bears claimed a 6-4 win.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Friday, March 4 • 11:00 a.m. CT • LHP Tyler Thomas (1-1, 1.50 ERA) vs. UCLA RHP Jake Brooks (2-0, 0.00 ERA)

Saturday, March 5 • 3:00 p.m. CT • RHP Jake Jackson (1-1, 2.25 ERA) vs. Tennessee RHP Chase Dollander (1-0, 2.70 ERA)

Sunday, March 6 • 7:00 p.m. CT • RHP Will Rigney (0-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. LSU TBD

TESTED RIGHT FROM THE START

• 2022 is the first season since 1952 in which 11 of Baylor's first 13 opponents currently compete in Power 5 conferences.

• BU is coming off a series win over former No. 23 Duke and presently boasts a 2-1 record against ranked foes.

• The Bears will face three more ranked opponents this upcoming weekend at the Shriners Children's College Classic.

• Maryland, who was unranked during its opening weekend sweep of BU, now sits at No. 21 in both major polls.

• The Bears will play 22 games against 10 teams who competed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, including five teams that reached a Super Regional and two that reached the College World Series.

TURNING TWO

• As of Thursday, March 3,  Baylor ranks third nationally with 11 double plays turned and fourth with 1.38 DP's per game.

• Third-year sophomore 2B Tre Richardson has recorded an assist in all 11 twin killings so far.

• The Bears rolled just 33 double plays in all of 2021 (0.65 per game).

STRONG STARTERS

• Baylor's starting pitching had a fantastic weekend against Duke, with senior LHP Tyler Thomas and senior RHP Jake Jackson each picking up their first wins of the season.

• The duo, along with sophomore RHP Will Rigney, combined for a 0.53 ERA over the three games, going 17 innings and allowing just one earned run with 15 strikeouts to five walks.

• BU starters have allowed just the one earned run over their last 20.2 innings pitched.

EXTRA, EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT

• Baylor has recorded at least one extra-base hit in 32 of its last 35 games, dating back to last season.

• The Bears have tallied 106 extra base hits, including 65 doubles, 11 triples and 30 home runs.

• Baylor has notched at least two extra-base hits in 26 of its last 35 games.

• Through eight games in 2022, BU has tallied nine doubles, two triples and two home runs.

ADD ANOTHER TO THE K-COUNTER

• After racking up double-digit strikeouts in all three games against Maryland, the Baylor pitching staff reached double figures once again vs. Duke in Sunday's second game of the doubleheader with 12.

• The Bears have tallied 69 K's in eight games this season.

• The Bears only reached double figures in 16 of their 51 games in 2021.

DIGGIN' THE LONG BALL

• Baylor has hit 257 home runs in 297 games under seventh-year head coach Steve Rodriguez, including 48 in 2021. • Before 2020, the Bears were coming off back-to-back-back seasons with at least 50 home runs (51 in 2017, 54 in 2018, 57 in 2019) for the first time since 2008 (52), 2009 (73) and 2010 (57) and first time in the BBCOR era.

• In 2020, BU was on pace to hit over 50 home runs once again prior to the season getting canceled.

• The Bears finished with 15 homers in just 16 games in 2020.

THE BIG RIG

• After suffering season-ending injuries in each of his first two seasons, third-year sophomore RHP Will Rigney is finally healthy and contributing to the pitching staff in a big way.

• The righty, who made his first appearance since March 23, 2021, has tallied 10 strikeouts and walked none in six innings of work so far this season. He currently owns a 3.00 ERA, having allowed just two earned runs.

• His 4.0 IP against Duke were a career high, to go along with 6 K's.

GOING STREAKING

• Six Bears currently boast on-base streaks of at least five games, including Harrison Caley who has hit safely in each of his last five outings.

• Jared McKenzie has a team-best 14-game on-base streak that dates back to the end of the 2021 season.

• Jack Pineda is next with an 11-game on-base streak, dating back to the end of last year.

• Tre Richardson owns a seven-game on-base streak.

• Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo has reached safely in each of his last six games.

• Chase Wehsener has reached safely in five-straight games.

-BaylorBears.com-

__________________________________

Max Calderone | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (BSB, FB, EQ)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-265-1639

[signature_1301801889]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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