April 16, 2007
WACO, Texas -- Baylor baseball begins a four-game home stand Tuesday, April 17, hosting Texas-Arlington for a 6:30 p.m. CDT first pitch at Baylor Ballpark. This is the third and final scheduled meeting this season between the Bears and the Mavericks. Baylor won 9-7 at home in late February and 10-2 at Arlington in late March.
Baylor (21-17) has won five of its last eight after taking two of three at Kansas over the weekend. The Bears are 17-7 at Baylor Ballpark this season and 49-15 at home since the start of the 2005 postseason. Baylor is unranked in all four major polls.
UT-Arlington (11-26) has lost 16 of its last 18 games since sweeping Illinois in early March. The Mavericks salvaged the final game of their weekend series against McNeese State with a 4-3 win Sunday at Arlington. UTA is 1-13 away from home this season, including an 0-11 mark on opponents' home fields. The Mavericks are unranked in all four polls.
This is the 100th all-time meeting between Baylor and UTA; Baylor holds a 71-28 advantage in the series, including a 43-12 advantage in games played in Waco. The Bears have won each of the last seven meetings and are 25-8 against the Mavericks during head coach Steve Smith's tenure.
Baylor and UTA have played seven common opponents this season: Houston, Oklahoma State, Rice, Texas, TCU, Texas State and UTSA. The Bears are 4-9 against that septet, while UTA is 1-11.
Freshman right-hander Wade Mackey (1-0, 1.65 ERA) is scheduled to make his seventh start of the season for the Bears. In 27.1 innings over eight appearances this season, Mackey has allowed 26 hits and nine walks with 18 strikeouts and a .245 opponents' batting average.
UTA counters with junior right-hander Jeff Nollen (0-3, 4.85 ERA), who will make his second start of the season. In 13 innings over nine appearances, Nollen has allowed 13 hits and 12 walks with eight strikeouts and a .255 opponents' batting average.
After Tuesday's game, Baylor hosts Missouri for a three-game Big 12 Conference series over the weekend. The Bears and the Tigers meet Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
