March 13, 2006
WACO, Texas -- Baylor baseball entered the Baseball America Top 25 for the first time this season, the publication announced Monday. The Bears (12-4) are ranked 22nd in this week's rankings, the third of five Big 12 Conference teams ranked. Other Big 12 teams ranked this week are No. 12 Nebraska, No. 19 Texas, No. 24 Oklahoma and No. 25 Kansas.
Baylor also announced Monday the addition of a single game Wednesday, March 29, against Sam Houston State. The Bears and the Bobcats meet at Baylor Ballpark for a 6 p.m. CST scheduled first pitch. This game replaces the Friday, Feb. 17, game against California, which was cancelled due to inclement weather. Fans holding tickets to the Feb. 17 game will be able to use them for the March 29 contest.
This marks the 10th consecutive season in which Baylor has spent at least one week in the Baseball America Top 25. The Bears finished the season ranked fourth nationally last year, the highest season-ending ranking in the program's history.
Baylor is off to its best 16-game start since 2003, when the Bears opened 13-3.
Elsewhere, Baylor moved up one spot to No. 18 in this week's Collegiate Baseball Top 30.
Baylor returns to action Tuesday, traveling to Houston, Texas, for a 7 p.m. CST game against Houston at Cougar Field. This weekend, the Bears begin Big 12 play, hosting 25th-ranked Kansas for a three-game series at Baylor Ballpark.
BASEBALL AMERICA TOP 25
March 13, 2006
1. Georgia Tech 16-1
2. Clemson 10-3
3. Rice 15-5
4. North Carolina 13-2
5. Tennessee 13-2
6. Mississippi State 11-0
7. Cal State Fullerton 14-6
8. Florida State 18-1
9. South Carolina 13-2
10. Arkansas 16-1
11. Louisiana State 16-3
12. Nebraska 11-2
13. Oregon State 11-5
14. Tulane 12-6
15. Florida 14-6
16. Arizona State 17-5
17 Stanford 11-7
18. Texas 13-9
19. Washington 15-5
20. Georgia 11-2
21. Pepperdine 12-10
22. BAYLOR 12-4
23. Wichita State 17-2
24. Oklahoma 16-4
25. Kansas 15-6
Dropped Out: Missouri (18), Mississippi (19), Texas A&M (20), Long Beach State (22), Cal Poly (24).
2006 Baylor opponents in italics; Big 12 teams in bold italics.
