Baylor looks for series victory in second game against Texas Tech

STORY LINES

• Baylor took game one of the series in extra innings on Thursday, 11-10

• Overall, the Bears tallied 11 runs on 14 hits, with five extra base hits. For the second-straight game the Bears did not outhit their opponent, but still took the win. Outfielder Mack Mueller was outstanding on the day, going 2-for-4 with a career-high five RBIs. Both of his hits were for extra bases as he brought home the third run of the second inning on an RBI double and then delivered a huge two-out grand slam in the bottom of the third, his first as a Bear and second homer of the year. 

• The Bears jumped out to a 9-3 lead after plating three in the second, four in the third and two in the fourth inning. The three runs in the second came off an RBI single by Cole Haring, a sac fly by Bissonette and an RBI double from Mueller. The four runs in the third came off Mueller’s two-out, full-count grand slam and the two in the fourth came off another big fly, this time as Wendzel delivered a two-run homer.

• Closer Kyle Hill tossed a season-high 3.1 innings in relief, striking out a season-best six batters. Those six strikeouts in relief are a career-high. 

HOW TO WATCH AND STREAM

Friday’s game will be televised nationally on FS1. 

PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS

Friday, April 19 • 6:30 p.m. CT • LHP Paul Dickens (4-1, 3.56 ERA) vs. RHP Micah Dallas (3-0, 3.66 ERA)

Saturday, April 20 • 2:00 p.m. CT • TBD vs. RHP Caleb Killian (5-2, 4.53 ERA)

AGAINST TEXAS TECH

• The Red Raiders entered the weekend tied for fourth in the Big 12 standings at 6-6. The Bears are 4-6 against the Red Raiders under the direction of fourth-year head coach Steve Rodriguez. The Bears took two-of-three in 2018 from the Red Raiders in Waco last season, but in Rod’s one trip to Lubbock in 2017 the Bears dropped the first two before salvaging the weekend with a game three victory. Overall the Bears have not won a series in Lubbock since 2010 and are 4-8 in conference series in Lubbock since 2009. In 2010 the Bears won game one, 6-2, lost game two, 5-3, before taking the rubber game, 12-5. 

TOPS IN THE CONFERENCE 

• The Bears remain in first place in the Big 12 with a record of 9-3 and have won three-of-four series so far (the fourth series was a two-game split with Texas). The Bears started conference play 5-1, the best start to conference under Coach Rodriguez and the best over the first two weekends of the season since starting 6-0 in 2012. 

IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

• The Bears entered the weekend ranked 32nd in scoring (7.1) and boast a top 25 pitching staff (17th in ERA). The Bears boast the seventh-highest batting average in the nation (.313), 16th in total hits (391), ninth with 2.31 doubles per game, ninth with 81 total doubles, 11th in slugging percentage (.482), 25th in on-base percentage (0.399) and 32nd in scoring (7.1). The Bears’ fielding percentage of 0.98 ranks 15th nationally. On the mound the Bears rank 17th in ERA (3.3), seventh with just 6.94 hits allowed per nine innings and 29th with a WHIP of 1.28.