March 5, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

GAMES 10-12 • MARCH 6-8 • BAYLOR BALLPARK • WACO, TEXAS

No. 6 BAYLOR (7-2) hosts QTI BAYLOR CLASIC

FRIDAY: vs. South Alabama, 6:30 p.m. CST

SATURDAY: vs. No. 5 UC Irvine, 6:30 p.m. CST -- free admission with Baylor basketball ticket stub

SUNDAY: vs. UAB, 3:00 p.m. CST -- Kids' Day at the Ballpark (free admission ages 12 and under)

Baylor returns to action this weekend, hosting the fourth-annual QTI Baylor Classic at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears face South Alabama at 6:30 p.m. CST Friday, UC Irvine at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and UAB at 3 p.m. Sunday. Other games in the event are UC Irvine vs. UAB at 2 p.m. Friday, UAB vs. South Alabama at 2 p.m. Saturday and South Alabama vs. UC Irvine at 11 a.m. Sunday.

The Bears (7-2) have won six of their last seven after a 2-1 victory Wednesday night at 13th-ranked TCU. Baylor is ranked sixth nationally in this week's Baseball America Top 25 and 14th in this week's USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll. The Bears also are ranked 15th in the NCBWA Top 30 and 14th in the Collegiate Baseball Top 30.

South Alabama (5-4) has won three straight after going undefeated at the Bright House Invitational in DeLand, Fla. The Jaguars posted wins over Southern Illinois, Iowa and Stetson at the event. South Alabama, which is unranked in all four major polls, did not play midweek.

UC Irvine (5-3) dropped an 11-3 decision at home Tuesday night against Loyola Marymount. The Anteaters were 2-1 at last weekend's Houston College Classic, posting wins over Houston and UCLA after a 9-2 loss to Texas A&M in the event's first day. Irvine, which opened the season with a four-game set at Hawai'i, has played only one home game this season -- Tuesday's loss to LMU. The Anteaters are ranked fifth in this week's Baseball America Top 25 and 12th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll. Irvine also is ranked 13th in the NCBWA Top 30 and 15th in the Collegiate Baseball Top 30. ... Baylor and UC Irvine have played two common opponents; both teams defeated Houston and UCLA at last weekend's Houston College Classic.

UAB (3-4) has lost three straight after a 7-6 defeat at home Tuesday against Jacksonville State. The Blazers lost both games of a weather-shortened series at home against Presbyterian last weekend. UAB is unranked in all four major polls.

All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on Waco's 1660 ESPN Radio. Live streaming audio and GameTracker also are available for all Baylor baseball games online at www.BaylorBears.com, the official website of Baylor Athletics and a member of the CBS College Sports Network.

Live streaming video also is available for the Baylor games of the QTI Baylor Classic. For more information, follow the Baylor All-Access link at www.BaylorBears.com.

QTI BAYLOR CLASSIC SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, MARCH 6

UC Irvine vs. UAB, 2:00 p.m.

South Alabama at BAYLOR, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7

UAB vs. South Alabama, 2:00 p.m.

UC Irvine at BAYLOR, 6:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

South Alabama vs. UC Irvine, 11:00 a.m.

UAB at BAYLOR, 3:00 p.m.

NOTE: Home team listed second

SERIES INFORMATION

SOUTH ALABAMAJAGUARS

Overall: South Alabama leads 1-0

Waco: Never Met

Mobile: Never Met

Neutral Site: South Alabama leads 1-0

Smith vs. USA: 0-0

First Meeting: USA 9, Baylor 3 [5/28/1993]

UC IRVINE ANTEATERS

Overall: Tied 3-3

Waco: UC Irvine leads 3-0

Irvine: Baylor leads 3-0

Neutral Site: Never Met

Smith vs. UC Irvine: 3-3

First Meeting: Baylor 4, at UCI 0 [2/28/2003]

Last Meeting: UCI 1, at Baylor 0 [3/7/2004]

UAB BLAZERS

Overall: Never Met

Waco: Never Met

Birmingham: Never Met

Smith vs. UAB: 0-0

BAYLOR-ISP SPORTS NETWORK

1660 ESPN RADIO (Waco)

Tom Barfield, play-by-play

Lark Smith, color

INTERNET FEEDS

GameTracker: www.BaylorBears.com

Audio: www.BaylorBears.com

Video: www.BaylorBears.com

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS

FRIDAY

Baylor: RHP Craig Fritsch, So. (0-1, 3.60 ERA, 10.0 IP, 3 BB, 7 K)

South Alabama: RHP Matt Jackson, Jr. (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 15.2 IP, 2 BB, 18 K)

SATURDAY

Baylor: RHP Kendal Volz, Jr. (1-0, 0.69 ERA, 13.0 IP, 5 BB, 11 K)

UC Irvine: RHP Christian Bergman, Jr. (2-0, 2.70 ERA, 13.1 IP, 2 BB, 6 K)

SUNDAY

Baylor: TBA

UAB: TBA

QUICK NOTES

• Baylor is in the middle of a 10-game stretch with eight games against Top 25 opponents.

• Baylor is 7-2 all-time in the QTI Baylor Classic; the Bears have won four consecutive games in the event.

• Baylor has three last-at-bat victories this season after only two such wins last year.

• Baylor has two extra-inning victories this season after only one such win last year.

• Baylor is 5-1 in one-run games.

• Baylor is 10-5 on Sunday since the start of the 2008 season.

• Baylor is 13-5 against left-handed starters since the start of the 2008 season.

• Baylor ranks sixth in the Big 12 Conference in batting (.292), fifth in pitching (3.18) and seventh in fielding (.966) through games of March 4.

• Opposing batters are hitting .120 (10-for-83) against Baylor pitchers with two outs.

• Baylor has thrown out 46.2 percent (6-of-13) would-be base stealers this season. That percentage ranks second in the Big 12 behind only Oklahoma (53.8, 7-of-13).

PLAYER NOTES

• SS Joey Hainsfurther ranks second in the Big 12 in batting (.519), best among league freshmen. Hainsfurther also ranks ninth in slugging percentage (.704), third in on base percentage (.563). He is tied for ninth in hits (14), tied for 10th in doubles (3) and tied for fifth in triples (1).

• 1B Dustin Dickerson ranks 17th in the league in batting (.361); he also is tied for 10th in doubles (3).

• LF Adam Hornung is tied for fourth in the Big 12 in home runs (3), tied for fifth in doubles (4), tied for fifth in triples (1), tied for sixth in total bases (25) and ranks third in slugging percentage (.862).

• RF Aaron Miller is tied for sixth in the conference in walks (8) and ranks ninth in on base percentage (.500). ... Miller has hit safely in five consecutive games, going 6-for-15 in those five games.

• RHP Logan Verrett is tied for the Big 12 lead in wins (3) and ranks fourth in opponents' batting average (.125). He also is tied for eighth in strikeouts (14) and tied for eighth in appearances (4).

• RHP Kendal Volz ranks 10th in the league in opponents' batting average (.150). He also is tied for ninth in innings pitched (13.0) and tied for fourth in games started (2).

QTI BAYLOR CLASSIC HISTORY

This is the fourth year of the QTI Baylor Classic (formerly the Quala-T Imprints Baylor Classic). Past winners of the event were Louisiana Tech (2006), Mississippi State (2007) and Baylor (2008). Last year, Baylor became the first team to go undefeated in the event; the Bears and the winning team were 2-1 in each of the first two classics.

In 2006, Baylor and Louisiana Tech met in the event's finale to determine the champion; the Bulldogs jumped out to an 8-0 lead with a five-run first and a three-run second and never looked back en route to a 12-4 victory. Louisiana Tech finished 2-1, while Michigan and Pacific both finished 1-2. Baylor's Drew Bias, Zach Dillon, Seth Fortenberry, Tim Jackson, Kevin Russo and Cory VanAllen earned all-tournament honors, while Louisiana Tech's Jericho Jones was named MVP.

In 2007, the champion was determined by virtue of the Saturday game between Baylor and Mississippi State. The Bears scored three runs in the sixth to take a 6-4 lead, but MSU recaptured the lead with a three-run seventh and added a run in the ninth for an 8-6 victory. Mississippi State finished 2-1, while San Francisco and Winthrop both finished 1-2. Baylor's Ben Booker, Chase Gerdes, Tim Jackson and Jeff Mandel earned all-tournament honors. Mandel was named Most Outstanding Pitcher, while Mississippi State's Edward Easley was named Most Outstanding Player.

Last season, Baylor posted wins over Illinois (20-6), Illinois-Chicago (5-4) and Stephen F. Austin (4-3) to win the event. Illinois-Chicago was 2-1 on the weekend, while SFA was 1-2 and Illinois was 0-3. Baylor's Ben Booker, Dustin Dickerson, Erik Forestiere, Shaver Hansen, Aaron Miller, Kendal Volz, Landis Ware and Beamer Weems earned all-tournament honors. Miller, who hit three home runs in the Bears' game against Illinois, was named MVP.

BAYLOR-SOUTH ALABAMA SERIES HISTORY

Baylor and South Alabama have met only once previously -- a 9-3 South Alabama victory in the second round of the 1993 NCAA South Regional at Baton Rouge, La. The Jaguars scored two first-inning runs off Baylor starter Aaron Lineweaver and never looked back. The Bears got a run in the third on Joe Wharton's two-out solo homer, but USA answered with a three-run fourth and a four-run fifth. The game was not the cleanest as Baylor and South Alabama made five and four errors, respectively. Lineweaver took the loss, while Wharton finished 2-for-5 with two RBI.

BAYLOR vs. THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE

Baylor is 11-7 all-time against programs currently playing as members of the Sun Belt Conference. Baylor has played seven of the conference's 11 programs: Arkansas State (0-1), Arkansas-Little Rock (3-0), Louisiana-Lafayette (1-1), Louisiana-Monroe (3-2), New Orleans (2-2), South Alabama (0-1) and Western Kentucky (2-0).

BAYLOR-UC IRVINE SERIES HISTORY

Baylor and UC Irvine have played six times previously, and the series is tied 3-3. The Bears and the Anteaters played home-and-home three-game series over the 2003 and 2004 seasons; ironically, the visiting team swept each series. In 2003, the Bears posted wins of 4-0, 11-6 and 12-9 at Irvine; the following year, the Anteaters posted wins of 3-2, 5-4 and 1-0 in Waco.

The series has enjoyed several memorable games. In the programs' first-ever meeting, Steven White and Abe Woody combined on a five-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts; it was Baylor's second shutout in as many games, a feat no Baylor team has accomplished since. The following day, the Bears erased a 6-4 deficit with a four-run seventh and added a run in the eighth and two in the ninth for the 11-6 win. Baylor again came from behind in the series finale, overcoming a four-run first and erasing a 7-4 deficit with a seven-run sixth that was keyed by David Murphy's grand slam.

In 2004, the tides were turned as the Anteaters posted three one-run victories at Baylor Ballpark. The three losses were part of Baylor's national-leading 16 one-run losses that season. In the opener, the Bears stranded seven base runners and had three others erased on the base paths. Baylor jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game only to see Irvine rally with a three-run fourth and a two-run fifth. The series finale was a microcosm of Baylor's 2004 season. Irvine scored a run on a pair of doubles in the top of the first, and neither team scored again. Sean Walker took the tough-luck loss, scattering seven hits and a walk with seven strikeouts in a complete-game effort.

BAYLOR vs. THE BIG WEST CONFERENCE

Baylor is 14-18 all-time against the Big West Conference, most of which was against Long Beach State (5-10). UC Irvine is Baylor's second Big West opponent this season; the Bears swept a three-game series at home against Pacific to start the season and are now 4-1 all-time against Pacific. Baylor also is 2-4 against Cal State Fullerton and 3-3 against UC Irvine.

BAYLOR-UAB SERIES HISTORY

Baylor and UAB have never met.

BAYLOR vs. CONFERENCE USA

Baylor is 220-152-1 all-time against programs currently playing as members of Conference USA. Most of that has come against Houston (85-60) and Rice (125-87-1). Baylor also is 4-2 against Memphis, 3-1 against Southern Mississippi and 3-2 against Tulane.

BAYLOR vs. RANKED OPPONENTS

Baylor is 155-233-1 against ranked opponents since the start of the Baseball America rankings in 1981. The Bears are 2-1 against ranked teams this year with wins against UCLA and TCU, and a loss to Rice.

Fifth-ranked UC Irvine is the highest-ranked team Baylor has played this season and its highest-ranked non-conference opponent since playing second-ranked Rice in 2007. Baylor is 75-121 all-time against top-10 teams and 35-64 all-time against top-five opponents. For more information on Baylor's history against nationally ranked opponents, reference page 141 in the 2009 Baylor Baseball Media Guide.

VOLZ LOOKING FOR SUPPORT

In his last eight starts (dating back to last season), RHP Kendal Volz has posted a 2.61 ERA (14 earned runs over 48.2 innings). He worked into at least the sixth inning in all but one of those starts -- the lone exception was against Texas last year when he left after 3.0 innings with seven strikeouts and a strained oblique muscle. Yet, Volz is 1-4 in those seven starts, and Baylor is 3-5. The Bears have not scored more than five runs in a Volz start since the first Big 12 game of last season. He had a no-decision in that game, leaving with the lead before the Bears lost 6-5.

BAYLOR PITCHERS STINGY WITH TWO OUTS

Baylor pitchers held opposing batters to a .120 average (10-for-83) with two outs this season. Five Baylor pitchers have faced at least 10 two-out at bats each this year, and none of the five has allowed more than two hits. RHP Logan Verrett has been the stingiest, holding opponents to an 0-for-11 clip with two outs.

EXTRA SPECIAL

Baylor is 17-7 in extra-inning games since the start of the 2003 season. After limping to a 1-3 record last season, the Bears already are 2-0 in extra frames this year. The Bears' 10-inning, 2-1 victory over Pacific in the 2009 season opener snapped a three-game losing streak in such games.

Five of the 17 wins over the past six-plus seasons have come on an opponent's home field (Arizona twice, Arizona State, Texas and Vanderbilt). Three of the 15 wins were either neutral-site games or games at Baylor Ballpark in which the Bears were the visitor. Four of the 15 wins have come in postseason play, including two at the Big 12 Tournament and one at the College World Series.

Baylor's luck was not as good in 2002 when the Bears were 1-5 in extra-inning games, including a span of three consecutive games lost in extra innings in mid-May.

VOLZ, MILLER NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA

RHP Kendal Volz and OF/LHP Aaron Miller were named preseason All-America by Baseball America. Volz was one of four pitchers named first team, while Miller was a third-team selection as a utility player (position and pitcher). The Baseball America preseason All-America teams are determined by a vote of Major League Baseball scouting directors.

Volz was 3-6 with a 4.20 ERA in 12 starts last season. He led the Big 12 and ranked 18th nationally with 10.83 strikeouts per nine innings, a Baylor single-season record. However, Volz made his biggest waves last summer as the USA Baseball National Team's closer. He posted a 0.00 ERA and converted all eight save opportunities, guiding the National Team to a 24-0 record.

Miller hit .295 with 12 home runs and 45 RBI last season. He led the Bears in home runs, doubles (18), extra-base hits (31), slugging percentage (.562), walks (34) and on base percentage (.425). He saw limited action on the mound in 2008, going 1-1 with a 14.40 ERA over 5.0 innings. However, he expected to pitch more this season.

Volz and Miller are the sixth and seventh Baylor players to earn Baseball America preseason honors; Volz is the program's second first-team selection. Previous Baylor players so honored were Kip Wells (1998, second team), Jeremy Dodson (1998, third team), Steven White (2002, third team), Michael Griffin (2004, third team) and Mark McCormick (2004, second team; 2005, first team). Baseball America began selecting preseason All-America teams in 1982.

Volz and Missouri right-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson were the only first-team selections from the Big 12 Conference. Other Big 12 honorees were catcher Trevor Coleman (Missouri, second team), left-handed pitcher Andrew Oliver (Oklahoma State, second team) and Miller.

BIG 12 COACHES PICK BAYLOR THIRD

Baylor was slotted in a third-place tie in the 2009 Big 12 Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Bears (32-26, 11-16 in 2008) earned 59 points along with Oklahoma State. This marks the second consecutive year in which the league's coaches picked Baylor to finish third.

Defending Big 12 champion Texas A&M was a unanimous choice to defend its title. The Aggies received nine of 10 first-place votes; coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams. Texas, which garnered the other first-place vote, was picked to finish second with 69 total points. Missouri was picked fifth, followed by Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Kansas State and Kansas.

This marks the first time since 2001 (Nebraska) that a team other than Texas was picked to win the Big 12 by the league's coaches. Baylor has been picked to finish fourth or better each year since 1999. This is the sixth time the Bears have been picked to finish third or better.

VOLZ NAMED TO GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD WATCH LIST

RHP Kendal Volz was among 50 players named to the initial watch list for the 2009 Golden Spikes Award announced Wednesday by USA Baseball. The Golden Spikes Award, in its 32nd year, is given annually to the nation's top collegiate player.

Volz was one of five Big 12 Conference players on the list, joining fellow 2008 National Team pitching staff mates Tyler Lyons and Andrew Oliver of Oklahoma State and Kyle Gibson of Missouri. Texas A&M first baseman Luke Anders also was on the list. Additional players may be added to the list throughout the year at USA Baseball's discretion.

USA Baseball officials will cut the watch list to 30 names May 26. That list will be sent to a voting panel consisting of professional baseball personnel, past USA Baseball National Team coaches, select members of the media, former USA Baseball press officers and current USA Baseball staff. For the second consecutive year, fan voting will count toward the final total; that will be available May 26 at www.goldenspikesaward.com.

Five finalists will be announced June 2 with voting for the winner beginning that day. The 2009 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award will be presented July 15 during an award show in conjunction with the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star weekend festivities in St. Louis.

Volz is the first Baylor pitcher to appear on the award's initial watch list since Chad Hawkins in 2000. Other Baylor players named to the award's initial watch list in past seasons include Beamer Weems (2008), Jason Jennings (1999) and Marty Crawford (1996).

BAYLOR SCHEDULE USUALLY AMONG NATION'S BEST

Baylor's strength of schedule has ranked among the nation's best routinely over the past decade, including top-10 rankings at season's end each year from 2002 to 2005. The Bears' strength of schedule ranked in the nation's top 30 each year from 1997 to 2007 before dipping to 36th last year.

According to BoydsWorld.com, Baylor's 2009 intended strength of schedule ranks 28th nationally. That ranks second in the Big 12 Conference behind only Oklahoma (25th) and just ahead of Texas A&M (31st).

Recruiting Closer recently researched teams from the Big 12, the ACC, the SEC and the Pac-10 to see which programs play the most non-conference games against teams from one of the other three conferences. Over the past four seasons, Baylor has played 22 non-conference games against teams from the other three conferences (includes postseason play). That ranks 11th nationally and second in the Big 12 behind only Texas (31, seventh).

Furthermore, Baylor's .682 winning percentage in those games (15-7) ranks third nationally among teams with at least 10 such games in that time. Southern California (.818, 9-2) ranked first, followed by Texas A&M (.778, 14-4).

TOLLESON LOOKS TO BUILD ON FRESHMAN SUCCESS

RHP Shawn Tolleson became the 10th freshman in Baylor history to record at least six victories last season, going 6-4. Furthermore, he was only the fourth to accomplish the feat during head coach Steve Smith's tenure, joining Ryan LaMotta (2003), Abe Woody (2003) and Kendal Volz (2007). Tolleson hopes to avoid the sophomore jinx that snagged Volz last season. Only one of the previous nine Baylor pitchers who won at least six games as a freshman -- Ted Richardson -- won at least that many as sophomores.

THREE BAYLOR GAMES SLATED FOR TELEVISION

Two Baylor baseball games have been selected for national broadcast on FSN. Baylor's Saturday, April 18, game at Oklahoma State and the Bears' Saturday, April 25, game at home against Oklahoma both will be broadcast live on FSN.

Start times for both games have been affected due to the broadcast. First pitch for both games will be at 1 p.m. CT.

Since 1988, Baylor has played 62 televised games, including five games last season. Baylor has played 31 televised games since 2005 when the Bears played a program-best 12 games on television.

FIVE BEARS ON BASEBALL AMERICA'S PRESEASON DRAFT LISTS

Five Baylor baseball student-athletes were listed on Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects ranking for the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The list is specific to college players and focuses only on players who will be eligible to be drafted next June. Baylor had more players on the list than any other school.

RHP Kendal Volz was ranked as the nation's sixth-best prospect, while RHP Shawn Tolleson and RHP Craig Fritsch were 22nd and 37th, respectively. OF/LHP Aaron Miller was the 62nd-rated prospect, and 1B Dustin Dickerson was 71st.

Only two schools -- Baylor (5) and Georgia (4) -- had more than three players on the list. Ten schools had three players listed, including Missouri, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M from the Big 12 Conference.

In all, 16 players from Baylor's roster will be eligible in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The program record for most players drafted in one year is nine (2005).

MILLER, VOLZ NAMED TO WALLACE WATCH LIST

OF/LHP Aaron Miller and RHP Kendal Volz were named to the initial watch list for the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award, presented annually to the top collegiate baseball player in conjunction with the College Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. This is the award's sixth year.

The Wallace Award is dedicated to the memory of former Texas Tech player and assistant coach Brooks Wallace, who died of cancer at age 27 in 1985. Wallace played at Tech from 1977 to 1980 and spent two years in the Texas Rangers' organization.

Past winners of the Wallace Award are Kurt Suzuki (catcher, Call State Fullerton, 2004), Alex Gordon (third baseman, Nebraska, 2005), Brad Lincoln (pitcher/designated hitter, Houston, 2006), David Price (pitcher, Vanderbilt, 2007) and Buster Posey (catcher, Florida State, 2008).

NEXT UP...

Baylor returns to action Wednesday, traveling to Austin, Texas, for a non-conference game against second-ranked Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CST at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.