Baylor Baseball Returns Home to Host Stephen F. Austin

Mon Mar 11 17:31:06 CDT 2024

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 11, 2024

Baylor Baseball Returns Home to Host Stephen F. Austin
Bears looking to snap four-game losing streak
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

[BU Logo]
BAYLOR BEARS (4-11, 0-3 Big 12)
Location: Waco, Texas
Conference/Affiliation: Big 12
Head Coach: Mitch Thompson<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/mitch-thompson/2258>
                            (Fort Hays St., 1988)

Roster<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster> | Stats<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/stats/2024> | Game Notes (PDF)<https://baylorbears.com/documents/2024/3/11/BU_BSB_Game_Notes_2024_16_SFA.pdf>
BAYLOR (4-11, 0-3) vs SFA (3-15, 0-3)
March 12, 2024 • 6:30 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: Pete Sousa, Pat Combs
LISTEN: ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM/92.3 FM
Talent: Derek Smith, Tom Barfield

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/>

[SFA]
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN LUMBERJACKS (3-15, 0-3 WAC)
Location: Nacogdoches, Texas
Conference/Affiliation: WAC
Head Coach: Johnny Cardenas (TCU, 1998)

Roster<https://sfajacks.com/sports/baseball/roster> | Stats<https://sfajacks.com/sports/baseball/stats/2024>

STORYLINES
LEADING OFF
• Baylor Baseball returns home to the friendly confines of Baylor Ballpark for four games in Waco this week, including a midweek matchup against Stephen F. Austin and a weekend series against No. 23 Texas Tech.
• According to Pro Baseball Radar, BU faced the nation's toughest schedule through the first month of the season based on 2023's RPI and win percentage.
• In 2024, Baylor has played the 23rd-ranked strength of schedule and it's opponents have gone 128-69 (.650), which ties for the eighth-most combined wins by opponents in the nation.
• Baylor plays 26 games against the RPI top-50 this season, the most in the Big 12.
• The Bears have already played five games against ranked opponents (Tennessee, Indiana, DBU), and a sixth against a team that was receiving votes (Oregon).
• 56% of Baylor's offense (70 of 125 hits) has been produced by underclassmen or players in their first season at Baylor.
• True or redshirt freshmen have accounted for 45% of innings pitched on the mound this season (58.1 of 130.0).
• Eighteen Bears have made their Baylor debuts so far in 2024, including 13 players making their Division I debut and nine freshmen making their collegiate debuts.
• The Bears have eclipsed double digits in strikeouts in seven of their 15 games so far in 2024, increasing the total to 27 games in the Thompson era in which BU has fanned at least 10 opponents.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST SFA
• Baylor leads the all-time series over Stephen F. Austin, 31-0.
• In their last meeting, BU claimed a 10-3 victory over SFA on April 4, 2023, in Waco.
• Baylor has won four of its previous six meetings over SFA by at least 10 runs.
• The Bears are 1-2 in midweek games so far this season.
• Baylor is 1-5 against teams from the state of Texas in 2024.
THE LAW FIRM OF CALDER AND HAIL
• Sophomore LHP Ethan Calder<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/ethan-calder/12994> and redshirt junior RHP Patrick Hail<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/patrick-hail/13047> are becoming BU's go-to relievers out of the bullpen, and for good reason as the duo both boast sub-1.60 ERA's.
• In seven relief appearances, Calder has posted three scoreless and three hitless outings. The southpaw's usage has not been limited to left-handed hitters, as he's gone longer than an inning four times.
• On the year, Calder owns a 1.59 ERA, has struck out 13 batters, has not allowed a walk, and collected BU's only save of 2024.
• One of the more experienced arms in the BU bullpen, Hail has been fantastic with a 1.17 ERA across five separate outings, four of which have been scoreless.
• Hail has been used in a variety of ways, including a 3.1-inning win in relief, and escaping a few jams at Houston in an inning or less.
PROBABLE STARTERS
• Tues. March 12 • 6:30 p.m. • RHP Andrew Petrowski<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/andrew-petrowski/13006> (0-0, 7.50) vs. TBD
BROADCAST INFORMATION
• Tuesday night's game will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, with Pete Sousa (play-by-play) and former Baylor pitcher Pat Combs (color analyst) on the call.
• Fans can also tune in to the Baylor radio broadcast on ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM/92.3 FM with Derek Smith and Tom Barfield calling the action.
WHO'S HOT
• Redshirt junior OF Enzo Apodaca<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/enzo-apodaca/13013> has reached base safely in 14 consecutive games and hit .308 last week to lead the team.
• Fifth-year senior INF Mason Greer<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/mason-greer/13021> went 3-for-10 at the plate and has hits in each of his last six starts.
• Sophomore LHP Ethan Calder<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/ethan-calder/12994> (1.59) and redshirt junior RHP Patrick Hail<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/patrick-hail/13047> (1.17) each have sub-1.60 ERA's.
YOU GO, WE GO, 'ZO!
• Of the 31 times that redshirt junior OF Enzo Apodaca<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/enzo-apodaca/13013> has reached base, he has either scored a run or driven in a run 18 times (58%).
• In the 44 innings that Baylor has scored at least one run, Apodaca has reached base in 24 of them (55%).
YOUNG ARMS DEVELOPING ON THE MOUND
• In its weekend series at Houston, Baylor held the Cougars to a team batting average of .237.
• Five Bears turned in at least one scoreless appearance against UH in Ethan Calder<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/ethan-calder/12994>, Patrick Hail<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/patrick-hail/13047>, Drew Leach<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/drew-leach/13012>, Andrew Petrowski<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/andrew-petrowski/13006> and Stephen Sepulveda<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/stephen-sepulveda/13016>.
• BU received 11 innings of work by either true or redshirt freshmen at Houston in Mason Green<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/mason-green/13014> (5.1), Collin McKinney<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/collin-mckinney/13004> (3.2), and Sepulveda (2.0).
• For the year, true or redshirt freshman rank second (McKinney, 17.0), third (Green, 14.0) and fifth (Sepulveda, 10.2) on the squad in innings pitched.
• Four freshmen have made at least four appearances on the mound in Sepulveda (six), Green (five, one start), RJ Ruais<https://baylorbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/rj-ruais/13049> (five, one start) and McKinney (four, all starts).

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 (Baseball, Football)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-265-1639

[signature_281596716]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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