Baylor Baseball Hosts CSU Bakersfield in Regular-Season Finale

[Calderone, Max]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 17, 2023

Baylor Baseball Hosts CSU Bakersfield in Regular-Season Finale
Bears seeking first series win in regular-season finale since 2018
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>


[BU Logo]
BAYLOR BEARS (17-35, 6-18 Big 12)
Location: Waco, Texas
Conference/Affiliation: Big 12
Head Coach: Mitch Thompson<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/mitch-thompson/1881> (Fort Hays St., 1988)

Roster<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster> | Stats<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/stats/2023> | Game Notes (PDF)<https://baylorbears.com/documents/2023/5/17/BU_BSB_Game_Notes_2023_53-55_CSU_Bakersfield.pdf>
BAYLOR (17-35, 6-18) vs CSU BAKERSFIELD (18-28, 9-18)
May 18, 2023 • 6:30 p.m. CT
May 19, 2023 • 6:30 p.m. CT
May 20, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. CT
Waco, Texas • Baylor Ballpark (5,000)

LIVE STATS: BaylorStats.com<https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=bay>
WATCH: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Talent: John Morris, Pat Combs
LISTEN: ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM & 92.3 FM
Talent: Derek Smith, Ryan Boyd, Nolan Bay



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/>

[CSU Bakersfield]
CSU BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS (18-28, 9-18 Big West)
Location: Bakersfield, Calif.
Conference/Affiliation: Big West
Head Coach: Jeremy Beard (Oregon State, 1997)

Roster<https://gorunners.com/sports/baseball/roster/2023> | Stats<https://gorunners.com/sports/baseball/stats/2023>


STORYLINES

LEADING OFF

• Baylor Baseball finishes out its 2023 campaign with three games this weekend against CSU Bakersfield, the first meeting between the two programs.

• The Bears won their final road game of the year on Tuesday night at Tarleton, 4-2, behind Jared Matheson's<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/jared-matheson/12088> career-best start of seven scoreless frames with five strikeouts.

• Junior RHP Hambleton Oliver<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/hambleton-oliver/11502> collected his fourth save of the season with two scoreless innings, allowing just one run with two strikeouts.

• Redshirt freshman OF Gavin Brzozowski<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/gavin-brzozowski/12076> delivered the big blow offensively in the form of a three-run home run in the top of the first inning. He collected three hits for the second game in a row to tie his season high.

• Baylor pitchers have posted a 4.10 ERA since the start of May, including six players with sub-2.50 ERA's in Ethan Calder<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/ethan-calder/12093> (3 APP, 0.00 ERA), Grant Golomb<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/grant-golomb/11487> (3 APP, 0.00 ERA), Hambleton Oliver<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/hambleton-oliver/11502> (5 APP, 0.00 ERA), Cole Tremain<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/cole-tremain/12084> (1 APP, 0.00 ERA), Jared Matheson<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/jared-matheson/12088> (3 APP, 1.10 ERA), and Brett Garcia<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/brett-garcia/11486> (3 APP, 2.25 ERA).

• Baylor is 15-7 this season when scoring six or more runs and 6-0 when scoring 10 or more runs.

• BU is also 12-2 this year when leading the ballgame after six innings and 12-4 when out-hitting its opponent.

• Junior RHP Grant Golomb<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/grant-golomb/11487> owns a 0.93 ERA over his last four appearances. He has struck out 11 batters in 9.2 innings of work over that stretch.

• Freshman INF Kolby Branch<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/kolby-branch/12083> continues to lead the club in virtually every offensive category. He sits just two doubles shy of tying the program's doubles record by a freshman (18, Matt Williams, 1998).

FINISHING STRONG

• Baylor is looking for its first series win in its regular-season finale since 2018, when the Bears rolled along a stretch of 22 wins in 25 games before the postseason which included a Big 12 Tournament title.

• BU will recognize Blake Helton<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/blake-helton/11490> on Saturday's Senior Day to celebrate his five-year career with the Bears.

• Baylor will also recognize its three Spring 2023 graduates on Friday, in Brett Garcia<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/brett-garcia/11486>, Adam Muirhead<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/adam-muirhead/11498> and Will Rigney<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/will-rigney/11505>.

ADD IT TO THE K-COUNTER

• The Bears have eclipsed double-digit strikeouts on the mound in 20 games so far this season.

• BU has punched out at least 13 opposing hitters in 10 games this year.

• Furthermore, Baylor has racked up 15 or more K's in four games this season, including a program record for Big 12 games with 18 at Oklahoma State on March 24.

• Baylor ranks third in the Big 12 with 471 strikeouts, though BU's 9.22 strikeouts per nine innings ranks second in the league.

DUO RECOGNIZED FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS

• On Tuesday, fourth-year junior INF/OF Cole Posey<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/cole-posey/12079> and fifth-year junior Anderson Needham<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/anderson-needham/11499> earned a spot on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team.

• Both graduate students, Posey holds a 3.91 GPA in Sports Management, while Needham boasts a 3.62 GPA in Information Systems.

FORMER BEAR MAKES HIS MLB DEBUT

• On Monday night, former Baylor standout and 2018 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Cody Bradford made his Major League debut with the Texas Rangers, starting against the Atlanta Braves.

• Bradford became the 46th Bear all-time to reach the big leagues and is the fourth active Bear in the bigs, joining Daniel Castano (Miami Marlins), Shea Langeliers (Oakland Athletics) and Max Muncy (Los Angeles Dodgers).

PROBABLE STARTERS

• Thursday, May 18 • 6:30 p.m. • RHP Mason Marriott<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/mason-marriott/11495> (1-7, 7.57 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Verdugo (4-6, 6.02 ERA)

• Friday, May 19 • 6:30 p.m. • RHP Will Rigney<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/will-rigney/11505> (3-3, 4.45 ERA) vs. LHP Matt Comnos (3-4, 2.95 ERA)

• Saturday, May 20 • 2:00 p.m. • TBD vs. TBD

BROADCAST INFORMATION

• This weekend's series against the Roadrunners will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with John Morris handling play-by-play duties and former Baylor pitcher Pat Combs joining him to do color commentary.

• Fans can also tune in to the Baylor radio broadcast, featuring Derek Smith, Ryan Boyd and Nolan Bay on the call on ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM/92.3 FM.


To stay up to date on all things Baylor baseball, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorBaseball.


-BaylorBears.com-


__________________________________

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

[signature_1325542423]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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