Preview: Baylor Baseball Prepares for Big Series against No. 19 Texas

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (12-21, 4-8) is set to face off against the No. 19 Texas Longhorns (24-11, 6-3) for a weekend series at Baylor Ballpark. The first pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday’s game will kick off at 2 p.m., and Sunday’s finale is set for 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.

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Baylor is tied for last place in the Big 12 with a record of 4-8 halfway through conference play.

Baylor Bears

2023 Record (RPI): 12-21 (No. 210)

Head Coach: Mitch Thompson

• Career Record: 12-21 (1st season) 
• Record at Baylor: 12-21 (1st season)

2023 Projections

• D1Baseball: 9th in the Big 12
• Coaches Poll: 9th in the Big 12

No. 19 Texas Longhorns

2023 Record (RPI): 24-11 (No. 18)

Head Coach: David Pierce

• Career Record: 440-236 (12th season) 
• Record at Texas: 243-127 (7th season) 

2023 Projections

• D1Baseball: 5th in the Big 12
• Coaches Poll: 4th in the Big 12

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Freshman SS Kolby Branch leads the team in batting average (.364), hits (48), RBIs (30) and runs (36).

2023 STAT LEADERS

• AVG: Kolby Branch (.364)
• H: Kolby Branch (48)
• 2B: Kolby Branch (13)
• HR: John Ceccoli (5)
• RBI: Kolby Branch (30)
• R: Kolby Branch (36)
• OB%: Cole Posey (.460)
• BB: Kolby Branch (23)

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Sophomore 3B Hunter Teplanszky is riding a nine-game hitting streak heading into the weekend.

Probable Starting Fielders: Baylor

• C: So. Cort Castle (.255, .317 OB%)
• 1B: So. John Ceccoli (.267, .371 OB%) 
• 2B: Jr. Cole Posey (.344, .460 OB%)
• 3B: So. Hunter Teplanszky (.320, .413 OB%)
• SS: Fr. Kolby Branch (.364, .456 OB%)
• LF: Jr. Hunter Simmons (.311, .373 OB%)
• CF: Fr. Caleb Bergman (.255, .314 OB%)
• RF: Jr. Cole Tremain (.269, .310 OB%)
• DH: RS-Fr. Gavin Brzozowski (.187, .339 OB%)

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Junior RHP Will Rigney went a season-high five innings in last Sunday’s win over Oklahoma.

Probable Starting Pitchers

• BU SP1: RHP Blake Helton (0-3, 7.61 ERA)
• UT SP1: LHP Lucas Gordon (3-0, 2.17 ERA)
• BU SP2: RHP Mason Marriott (1-5, 7.97 ERA)
• UT SP2: RHP Charlie Hurley (3-0, 2.43 ERA)
• BU SP3: RHP Will Rigney (3-1, 3.31 ERA)
• UT SP3: TBD

Top Quotes

Coach Mitch Thompson on the state of the offense

• “I think we’ve grown offensively. I think that our at-bats have been better.  Our competitiveness has been better. I think we’ve done a good job there; we’ve improved.”

Coach Mitch Thompson on what he sees from No. 19 Texas

• “They’re really good. They are loaded with talent. They are on a roll, and they’ve played really well. They are going to give a challenge to anybody they play. I’m glad we are playing here. I’m glad we get an opportunity to do it here at our home. They are competitive as heck. I have great respect for their program.”

Coach Mitch Thompson on needing the fans to show up this weekend

• “We need [the fans] out here. We need a big crowd. We need an atmosphere … We are going to try and play as hard as we can to give them something to be happy about it … We’d love to have these seats filled with green and gold.”