Weekend Thread: Baylor travels to Cal Poly for first road test

SERIES INFO

Date: Friday, March 6 - Sunday, March 8
Game Times: 8 p.m. CT, 6 p.m. CT, 3 p.m/ CT  
Site: San Luis Obispo, Calif./Baggett Stadium
Series History: 7-1
    Streak: Won 1
First Meeting: Feb. 13, 2015
Last Meeting: March 17, 2019
Under Rodriguez: 2-1
History: The Bears took the series last year at Baylor Ballpark over the Mustangs. The Bears won game one, 3-0, lost game two, 3-1, but took the rubber match, 14-3. 
- Head Coach Steve Rodriguez and Cal Poly Head Coach Larry Lee and both Pepperdine baseball alums, Rodriguez a 2001 graduate after his playing career was over, Lee a 1983 graduate.

PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS

FRI | SR LHP Paul Dickens (0-0, 4.85 ERA) vs. JR RHP Taylor Dollard (1-0, 1.71 ERA)
SAT | FR LHP Evan Godwin (1-0, 4.40 ERA)  vs. JR LHP Andrew Alvarez (0-1, 2.16 ERA)
SUN | SR RHP Hayden Kettler (2-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. FR RHP Drew Thorpe (1-0, 1.69 ERA)
STORY LINES

• The Bears head out to California on their first true road test of the year as they visit Cal Poly for three games starting Friday, March 6 at 8 p.m. CT. 

• The Bears enter the weekend having won four of their last five games, including a 3-0 sweep of SEC foes at the Shriners College Classic, earning the tournament title with victories over Missouri, No. 11 LSU and No. 6 Arkansas. 

•The Bears went 3-0 at the tournament for the first time since 2005 and blasted six home runs on the weekend, with Mack Mueller connecting on two of those in the Bears' 4-2 victory over Missouri to open up the tournament. The Bears boasted the a tournament-high four on the All-Tournament Team, including P Luke Boyd, SS Nick Loftin, 2B Ricky Martinez and OF Mack Mueller.  

 • Baylor has finished its home schedule with a .500 record or better in all 20 seasons at Baylor Ballpark (since 1999) and is 459-206 all-time at the park after starting off the 2020 season 5-4 at home.

• The Bears were 7-8 on the road last season and are 39-37 on the road over four seasons under head coach Steve Rodriguez, with winning records on the road in 2018 and 2017. 

• The Bears return all members of its pitching staff from 2019 with the exception of All-American closer Kyle Hill. That includes Friday and Saturday starters Jimmy Winston and Paul Dickens. The Bears also add six talented newcomers to the pitching staff (five freshmen, one junior college transfer), highlighted by RHP Will Rigney, drafted in the 38th round by the San Francisco Giants in 2019 and LHP Evan Godwin.