Series Preview: Baylor Travels to Arizona to Face No. 23 Wildcats

TUCSON, Ariz. – Baylor baseball (17-7, 2-4) will head west to take on the No. 23 Arizona Wildcats (19-5, 5-1) this weekend at Hi Corbett Field. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday’s contest will start at 8 p.m., and the series finale on Sunday is slated for 2 p.m. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.

Baylor Bears (17-7, 2-4)

Head Coach: Mitch Thompson

• Career Record: 429-207 (12th season) 
• Record at Baylor: 57-69 (3rd season) 

Notable Opponents:

• Wins: Kansas State, Kansas, Ohio State
• Losses: No. 8 Oregon State, No. 25 Auburn, Kansas (2), Kansas State (2)

2025 Projections:

• D1Baseball: 12th in the Big 12
• Coaches Poll: 13th in the Big 12

Team Stats:

• Earned Run Average: 4.54 (7th in Big 12)
• Batting Average: .308 (3rd in Big 12)
• Fielding Percentage: .970 (9th in Big 12)
• Strength of Schedule: No. 110
• RPI: No. 67

No. 23 Arizona Wildcats (19-5, 5-1)

Head Coach: Chip Hale

• Career Record: 127-79 (4th season) 
• Record at Arizona: 127-79 (4th season) 

Notable Opponents:

• Wins: No. 1 Texas A&M, No. 18 Mississippi State, Cincinnati (3), West Virginia (2)
• Losses: Ole Miss, No. 15 Clemson, Louisville, No. 3 Tennessee

2025 Projections:

• D1Baseball: 2nd in the Big 12
• Coaches Poll: 2nd in the Big 12

Team Stats:

• Earned Run Average: 3.87 (3rd in Big 12)
• Batting Average: .295 (7th in Big 12)
• Fielding Percentage: .980 (2nd in Big 12)
• Strength of Schedule: No. 64
• RPI: No. 18

Baylor Projected Starting Lineup

• RF: Enzo Apodaca (RSr.): (.330 BAVG, .440 OB%, 94 AB, 29 R, 13 XBH, 26 RBI)
• SS: Tyriq Kemp (Sr.): (.289 BAVG, .406 OB%, 83 AB, 25 R, 10 XBH, 15 RBI)
• LF: Wesley Jordan (Sr.): (.323 BAVG, .407 OB%, 93 AB, 17 R, 13 XBH, 22 RBI)
• DH: Hunter Simmons (RSr.): (.420 BAVG, .514 OB%, 88 AB, 19 R, 13 XBH, 23 RBI)
• 3B: Pearson Riebock (Fr.): (.419 BAVG, .538 OB%, 62 AB, 14 R, 10 XBH, 16 RBI)
• 1B: Jack Little (RSo.): (.283 BAVG, .407 OB%, 92 AB, 27 R, 10 XBH, 21 RBI)
• CF Ty Johnson (Sr.): (.291 BAVG, .419 OB%, 86 AB, 17 R, 6 XBH, 22 RBI)
• 2B: Travis Sanders (RSo.): (.326 BAVG, .444 OB%, 43 AB, 15 R, 4 XBH, 6 RBI)
• C: JJ Kennett (So.): (.256 BAVG, .442 OB%, 39 AB, 10 R, 2 XBH, 13 RBI)

Baylor Projected Bench

• C: Cortlan Castle (Sr.): (.250 BAVG, .375 OB%, 40 AB, 5 R, XBH, 3 RBI)
• 1B: Gavin Brzozowski (RSo.): (.258 BAVG, .439 OB%, 31 AB, 12 R, XBH, 6 RBI)
• 3B: Hunter Teplanszky (Sr.): (.182 BAVG, .317 OB%, 33 AB, 4 R, XBH, 7 RBI)

*2025 Stats: (BAVG = Batting Average, OB% = On-Base Percentage, AB = At-Bats, R = Runs, XBH = Extra Base Hits, RBI = Runs Batted In)*

Probable Starting Pitchers

• BU SP 1 – LHP: Ethan Calder (Jr.); (3-3, 5.46 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 31.1 IP, 6 GS)
• UA SP 1 – RHP: Collin McKinney (RSo.); (0-1, 1.40 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 25.2 IP, 6 GS)
• BU SP 2 – TBD
• UA SP 2 – RHP: Owen Kramkowski (So.); (3-2, 6.31 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 25.2 IP, 6 GS)
• BU SP 3 – LHP: Carson Bailey (Fr.); (2-0, 3.96 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 25 IP, 6 GS)
• UA SP 3 – RHP: Smith Bailey (Fr.); (1-1, 2.30 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 27.1 IP, 6 GS)

*2025 Stats: (ERA = Earned Run Average, WHIP = Walks + Hits per Inning Pitched, GS = Games Started)*

Arizona Projected Starting Lineup

• RF: Easton Breyfogle (So.): (.255 BAVG, .400 OB%, 51 AB, 8 R, 5 XBH, 9 RBI)
• CF: Aaron Walton (Jr.): (.349 BAVG, .487 OB%, 86 AB, 29 R, 11 XBH, 16 RBI)
• SS: Mason White (Jr.): (.316 BAVG, .384 OB%, 98 AB, 21 R, 14 XBH, 26 RBI)
• 2B: Garen Caulfield (Sr.): (.306 BAVG, .364 OB%, 85 AB, 12 R, 12 XBH, 27 RBI)
• 3B: Maddox Mihalakis (Jr.): (.259 BAVG, .351 OB%, 81 AB, 13 R, 9 XBH, 9 RBI)
• C: Adonys Guzman (Jr.): (.329 BAVG, .418 OB%, 76 AB, 18 R, 10 XBH, 17 RBI)
• DH: Andrew Cain (So.): (.220 BAVG, .327 OB%, 41AB, 8 R, 3 XBH, 5 RBI)
• 1B: Tommy Splaine (Sr.): (.265 BAVG, .400 OB%, 68 AB, 17 R, 7 XBH, 9 RBI)
• LF: TJ Adams (So.): (.176 BAVG, .349 OB%, 34 AB, 15 R, 3 XBH, 3 RBI)

Top Quotes

Head coach Mitch Thompson on the team’s struggles on Fridays and Saturdays:

• “The last two weeks, we’ve been punched in the mouth on Friday and Saturday, and I mean literally punched in the gut and beaten up. It’s been great to see us show back up on Sunday. It’s a whole other day, and we’re ready to compete. What it usually means is that whoever is out there in that little circle in the middle of the field is giving you an opportunity, and that’s a thing that we just have to have. Our starting pitching doesn’t have to go out and win the game. It just can’t go out and lose it. Keep us in the game. Give us an opportunity to let our [lineup] swing the bats and give us an opportunity to use the backend of our bullpen; we feel like we’re in great shape with that. The guys understand, and we’re working on it. We’ll get better at it. I promise we’ll start winning games on Fridays and Saturdays.”

Right fielder Enzo Apodaca (RSr.) on scoring 32 runs across the last two games going into the series against No. 23 Arizona:

• “It’s great to have momentum going into the weekend to get our confidence up high and get ready to go face some Wildcats. We’re ready and we’re excited.”