Preview: Baylor Baseball Prepares for Big Road Series against Kansas
Lawrence, Kan. – Baylor baseball (9-16, 2-4) will travel to Lawrence, Kansas, to take on the Kansas Jayhawks (9-14, 0-3) for a big weekend series. Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark. Saturday’s game will occur at noon, and Sunday’s game will be at 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.
Baylor Bears
2023 Record: 9-16
Head Coach: Mitch Thompson
- Career Record: 9-16 (1st season)
- Record at Baylor: 9-16 (1st season)
2023 Projections
- D1Baseball: 9th in the Big 12
- Coaches Poll: 9th in the Big 12
Kansas Jayhawks
2023 Record: 9-14
Head Coach: Dan Fitzgerald
- Career Record: 9-14 (1st season)
- Record at Kansas: 9-14 (1st season)
2023 Projections
- D1Baseball: 8th in the Big 12
- Coaches Poll: 8th in the Big 12
Probable Starting Fielders: Baylor
- C: So. Cort Castle
- 1B: So. John Ceccoli
- 2B: Jr. Cole Posey
- 3B: So. Hunter Teplanszky
- SS: Fr. Kolby Branch
- LF: Jr. Hunter Simmons
- CF: Fr. Caleb Bergman
- RF: RS-Fr. Gavin Brzozowski
- DH: Fr. Walker Polk
Probable Starting Pitchers
- BU SP1: RHP Mason Marriott (1-3, 8.23 ERA
- KU SP1:RHP Collin Baumgartner (2-0, 3.62 ERA)
- BU SP2: RHP Will Rigney (2-1, 2.16 ERA)
- KU SP2: RHP Sam Ireland (2-3, 4.17 ERA)
- BU SP3: TBD
- KU SP3: TBD
Top Quotes
Coach Mitch Thompson on what he sees from Kansas:
- “They bounced back and got a win yesterday. First-year coaching staff as well. A team that’s hungry to win. A team that’s hungry to change their fortunes. They are probably very excited to be at home. They’ve only played two games at home all season so far. So this will be their first real home weekend at Hoglund [Ballpark]. So it’ll be a new deal for them as well. Got some good arms. Got some guys in the lineup that can swing the bat. They’ll be a challenge for us.”
Coach Mitch Thompson on having a shorter leash with pitchers:
- “I’m going to have to make some adjustments and not leave starting pitchers out there nearly as long as I have … I’m going to need to make moves when the time comes …. Piecing that thing together with the best matchups at the time that we have available.”
Sophomore INF Hunter Teplanszky on the importance of the series against Kansas:
- “It’s a must-win. We need to go in there and take all three. That’s the way I see it. We need to go take all three and get us back on track in the Big 12. It’s a really big series for us confidence-wise. It’s a must-win in my eyes.”
Junior RHP Hambleton Oliver on the confidence of the team going into another road series:
- “I would say after two road trips, we now know what it’s like. We have a lot of young dudes on the team. I remember my freshman year; it wasn’t the easiest always traveling and getting used to everything. But the third road trip, it’ll be good for us.”
What I Am Looking for this Weekend
- This weekend’s series against Kansas has huge implications for the Big 12 Tournament. While it’s unlikely the Bears will make the NCAA Tournament, taking care of business against the Jayhawks would put Baylor in a good position to make the Big 12 Tournament as a seven or eight-seed.
- Coach Mitch Thompson announced that fifth-year senior Blake Helton would no longer be the Friday starter and that freshman Mason Marriott would start in his place. Thompson made it sound like he’d like to take a bullpen-by-committee approach in regard to Sundays moving forward.
- Freshman Walker Polk hit a pinch-hit, two-out home run in the ninth inning on Tuesday to tie the game against Abilene Christian. I would expect Polk to get some more playing time this weekend.