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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 6, 2021</span></b><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Baseball Back in Action with Home Series Versus K-State<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">The Bears and Wildcats will play game one on Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Waco<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Game Notes:
</span></b><a href="http://baylorbea.rs/3r9TtUN"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">http://baylorbea.rs/3r9TtUN</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">For more information contact: </span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Zach Rhodes, 919-247-7585, </span><u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">Zach_Rhodes@baylor.edu</span></u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">WACO, Texas</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">– Baylor
is back following exam week with a three-game series against Kansas State beginning on Friday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (27-13, 7-8 Big 12) and Wildcats (27-16, 6-9 Big 12) will play game two on Saturday at 3 p.m. and then the series
finale on Sunday at 12 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">The Bears are 51-27 all-time against the Wildcats, while Coach Rodriguez is 7-5 against K-State. Baylor has won the last two series against K-State, including the most recent in 2019
in Waco. BU holds a 29-9 record against Kansas State in Waco.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Promotions for the weekend contest include a Baylor pennant giveaway (Fri.) and trading card giveaway (Sat.). On Friday, the six-time national champion Baylor acrobatics and tumbling
team will throw out the first pitch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">SERIES INFO</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<b>Date: </b>May 7-9 (Fri.-Sun.)<br>
<b>Game Times: </b>6:30 p.m./3 p.m./12 p.m. <br>
<b>Site: </b>Waco, Texas /Baylor Ballpark (5,000) (50 percent)<br>
<b>TV: </b>Big 12 Now (ESPN+)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Talent: (Fri.) John Morris (pxp), Pat Combs (color); (Sat.-Sun.) Pete Sousa (pxp)<br>
<b>Radio:</b> ESPN 1660/92.3FM<br>
• Talent: Derek Smith (pxp)<br>
<b>Live Stats</b>: BaylorBears.com<br>
<b>Twitter Updates: </b>@BaylorBaseball<br>
<b>Series History: </b>BU leads, 51-27<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Streak:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">KSU, W1<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> First Meeting:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">March 28, 1996<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Last Meeting:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">May 3-5, 2019 (BU won series)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Under Rodriguez:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">7-5<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">PITCHING MATCHUP</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Fri. May 7 – RHP Hayden Kettler (3-2, 3.71 ERA) vs. RHP Connor McCullough (4-2, 4.17 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Sat. May 8 – LHP Cam Caley (1-1, 5.23 ERA) vs. LHP Jordan Wicks (5-2, 3.36 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Sun. May 9 – RHP Blake Helton (3-2, 3.29 ERA) vs. RHP Kasey Ford (4-0, 1.59 ERA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<b>STORY LINES</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• The Bears are 20-3 this season at Baylor Ballpark. BU has finished its home schedule with a .500 record or better in all 21 seasons (Since 1999) and is 474-208 all-time at the park.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Baylor is in the postseason conversation after going 13-3 in the month of April. Both D1Baseball and Baseball America have the Bears projected as a No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NCAA
Tournament. The Bears have climbed all the way up to the No. 4 spot in the Big 12 after starting conference play 1-5 in March. The Bears currently have a 31 RPI and are receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll for the second-straight week.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Baylor is outscoring its opponents 46-19 in the first inning and has a 21-6 when scoring first (20-5 when scoring in the first frame). The Bears also hold a 31-15 advantage in the
eighth inning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Fifth-year senior Andy Thomas was on a tear bringing runners home as he was on a 13-game RBI streak from 4/1-4/23. Thomas has had at least one RBI in 14 of his last 16 games. On
the season, Thomas has a career-best 44 RBI, which is first on the team and 3rd in the Big 12. His 44 RBI in 39 games is also 13th in the country.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Baylor has scored double-digit runs in 11 games in 2021. The Bears are first in the Big 12 in batting average (15th nationally) with a .303 clip. BU is second in the Big 12 in earned
run average with a 3.48 ERA (15th nationally) and has allowed the least amount of earned runs in the league.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">• Individually, the Bears have a number of players at the top of the conference as second-year freshman Jared McKenzie is 1st in runs scored (7th in the nation), 2nd in hits (8th
in the nation), 2nd in triples (9th in the nation), 4th in batting average, Thomas is 5th in RBI, Luke Boyd is 1st in saves (11th in the nation) with eight, Jimmy Winston is 2nd in wins with six, while Ryan Leckich is 1st in pitching appearances with 19.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">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).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt;background:white">-BaylorBears.com-</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">Zach Rhodes</span></b><span style="color:black"> | Associate Director of Athletics Communications<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">C: 919-247-7585 | O: 254-710-3784<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<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@01D74287.066E5070" alt="signature_1722146121"></span></a><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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