Series Preview: Baylor Opens Conference Play against Reigning Big 12 Champs, West Virginia

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (10-6) opens conference play against the West Virginia Mountaineers (11-3) this weekend at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears will kick off the series at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 13. Saturday’s game is slated for 2 p.m., while the series finale on Sunday is scheduled for 11 a.m. All three games this weekend will be streamed on ESPN+.

Baylor Bears

• Record: 10-6
• RPI: 30th
• SOS: 23rd

2026 Season Statistics

• Batting Average: .275 (9th in Big 12)
• Earned Run Average: 4.04 (7th in Big 12)
• Fielding Percentage: .976 (5th in Big 12)

Head Coach: Mitch Thompson

• Career Record: 457-232 (13th season) 
• Record at Baylor: 85-94 (4th season) 

2026 Projections

• D1Baseball: 10th in Big 12
• Coaches Poll: 11th in Big 12

West Virginia Mountaineers

• Record: 11-3
• RPI: 19th
• SOS: 89th

2026 Season Statistics

• Batting Average: .309 (3rd in Big 12)
• Earned Run Average: 3.10 (1st in Big 12)
• Fielding Percentage: .981 (2nd in Big 12)

Head Coach: Steve Sabins

• Career Record: 55-19 (2nd season) 
• Record at West Virginia: 55-19 (2nd season) 

2026 Projections

• D1Baseball: 3rd in Big 12
• Coaches Poll: 3rd in Big 12

Baylor’s Projected Starting Lineup

• SS: Travis Sanders (RJr.): (.413 BAVG, 1.090 OPS, 63 AB)
• 2B: Pearson Riebock (So.): (.250 BAVG, .755 OPS, 40 AB)
• RF: Brady Janusek (Fr.): (.344 BAVG, 1.082 OPS, 61 AB)
• 1B: Tyce Armstrong (RSr.): (.300 BAVG, 1.060 OPS, 60 AB)
• DH: Brayden Buchanan (RSo.): (.250 BAVG, .678 OPS, 36 AB)
• LF: Hunter Snow (RFr.): (.233 BAVG, .924 OPS, 43 AB)
• C: JJ Kennett (Jr.): (.389 BAVG, 1.042 OPS, 18 AB)
• CF: Ty Johnson (5Sr.): (.167 BAVG, .600 OPS, 42 AB)
• 3B: Brytton Clements (RFr.): (.314 BAVG, .790 OPS, 35 AB)

Projected Bench

• C: Cash McDade (Fr.): (.211 BAVG, .716 OPS, 19 AB) 
• INF: Cade Dodson (So.): (.129 BAVG, .437 OPS, 31 AB)
• INF: Robert De La Garza (Jr.): (.571 BAVG, 1.238 OPS, 7 AB)
• OF: Caleb Bergman (Sr.): (.250 BAVG, .833 OPS, 8 AB)
• OF: Bo Caraway (Fr.): (.174 BAVG, .348 OPS, 23 AB)
• DH: John Youens (RSo.): (.211 BAVG, .904 OPS, 19 AB)

*2026 Stats: (BAVG = Batting Average, OPS = On-Base Percentage + Slugging Percentage, AB = At-Bats)*

West Virginia’s Projected Starting Lineup

• SS: Matt Ineich (So.): (.386 BAVG, 1.061 OPS, 57 AB)
• 2B: Gavin Kelly (So.): (.431 BAVG, 1.252 OPS, 58 AB)
• RF: Armani Guzman (Jr.): (.216 BAVG, .642 OPS, 51 AB)
• C: Matthew Graveline (Sr.): (.294 BAVG, .949 OPS, 51 AB)
• CF: Paul Schoenfield (5Sr.): (.340 BAVG, 1.025 OPS, 53 AB)
• DH: Sean Smith (5Sr.): (.273 BAVG, .771 OPS, 44 AB)
• LF: Brock Wills (Sr.): (.316 BAVG, 1.024 OPS, 38 AB)
• 1B: Brodie Kresser (5Sr.): (.375 BAVG, 1.094 OPS, 40 AB)
• 3B: Tyrus Hall (Jr.): (.256 BAVG, .733 OPS, 43 AB)

*2026 Stats: (BAVG = Batting Average, OPS = On-Base Percentage + Slugging Percentage, AB = At-Bats)*

Probable Starting Pitchers

• BU SP 1 – RHP: Lucas Davenport (RJr.); (0.00 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 6.2 IP, 2-2 APP-GS)
• WVU SP 1 – RHP: Dawson Montesa (Jr.); (4.71 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 21 IP, 4-4 APP-GS)
• BU SP 2 – TBD
• WVU SP 2 – RHP: Chansen Cole (So.); (2.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 18 IP, 4-4 APP-GS)
• BU SP 3 – LHP: Ethan Calder (Sr.); (2.16 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 16.2 IP, 4-4 APP-GS)
• WVU SP 3 – LHP: Maxx Yehl (RJr.); (1.06 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 17 IP, 4-4 APP-GS)

*2026 Stats: (ERA = Earned Run Average, WHIP = Walks & Hits Per Inning Pitched, IP = Innings-Pitched, APP = Appearances)

Top Quotes

Head coach Mitch Thompson on facing the reigning Big 12 Champs, West Virginia, to open conference play:

• “Really good team. They’ve been on the road most of the year so far. Really good starting pitching. Big, physical guys. They’ll go two righties and a lefty. Friday night guy will be 94, 95, 96, 97. High velo with good ride on his fastball and good stuff. Sunday will be a big 6’5 lefty. Very aggressive base-running team. They like to steal bags and put pressure on you. Well-coached team. … They’re a really talented club, and it’ll be a challenge for us right out of the chute.”

Head coach Mitch Thompson on Baylor having to deal with injuries early in the season:

• “We’ve still got some guys that are dinged up that won’t be ready this weekend, but we’re making progress. You saw on Tuesday that Pearson Riebock was back in the lineup, which is gonna be big for us. You saw JJ Kennett back in the lineup. We had Davenport throw last again, so that’s huge. There are a couple that are still dinged up a little bit, and we’re trying to overcome it. The good news is that the people who have had a chance to fill in for them have done a really nice job. Our depth is showing. We’re giving guys lots of opportunities to showcase their abilities and help us win.”

First baseman Tyce Armstrong (RSr.) on the team’s mindset going into Big 12 play:

• “We’re feeling great. This is probably the best we’ve felt as a team. We have a few guys who have been dinged up, but are getting back and getting healthy. It’s really good that we’re getting to full strength going into conference play, which is exciting.”