May 18, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

MAY 20-24 • BRICKTOWN BALLPARK • OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.

BAYLOR (27-23, 10-16) at BIG 12 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

WEDNESDAY: vs. No. 5 Texas (38-12-1, 17-9-1); 12:30 p.m. CDT

THURSDAY: vs. No. 17 Kansas State (39-15-1, 14-11-1); 7:30 p.m. CDT

SATURDAY: vs. Kansas (37-19, 15-12); 9:00 a.m. CDT

SUNDAY: Championship Title Game; 1:00 p.m. CDT

Baylor begins postseason play Wednesday, May 20, at the 2009 Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Championship at Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Okla. The eighth-seeded Bears join top-seeded Texas, fourth-seeded Kansas State and fifth-seeded Kansas in Pool One. Baylor faces Texas at 12:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday, Kansas State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Kansas at 9 a.m. Saturday. The top team from each pool advances to Sunday's title game at 1 p.m. on FSN.

The Bears (27-23, 10-16) are 2-8 in their last 10 games after dropping all three games at Nebraska over the weekend. Baylor ended the regular-season with 10 consecutive Big 12 losses, the longest conference losing streak in program history. The Bears were 9-12 against teams in this year's Big 12 Championship field, including a 4-5 mark against Pool One teams. Baylor took two of three against Kansas and Kansas State but was swept by Texas. The Bears are 7-11 away from Baylor Ballpark this season, including a 2-1 mark at neutral sites.

Texas (38-12-1, 17-9-1) completed its Big 12 schedule two weeks ago, claiming the regular-season conference title after taking two of three against Texas A&M. The Longhorns swept a doubleheader at home Sunday against Alabama A&M to conclude the regular season. Texas was 12-8-1 against teams in this year's Big 12 Championship field, including a 3-5-1 mark against Pool One teams. The Longhorns were swept at Kansas and went 0-2-1 at home against Kansas State. Texas is 11-6 on the road this season with no neutral-site games.

Kansas State (39-15-1, 14-11-1) dropped two of three against Kansas over the weekend. The Wildcats are 6-4 in their last 10 games but lost each of their final two conference series of the season, dropping two of three at home against Texas Tech two weeks ago. Kansas State was 9-11-1 against teams in this year's Big 12 Championship field, including a 4-4-1 mark against Pool One teams. The Jayhaws are 12-7-1 on the road this season with a 3-1 mark at neutral sites.

Kansas (37-19, 15-12) is 6-4 in its last 10 games after taking two of three against Kansas State over the weekend. The Jayhawks were 10-11 against teams in this year's Big 12 Championship field, including a 6-3 mark against Pool One teams. Kansas is 9-14 on the road, 3-2 record at neutral sites.

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 Big 12 Championship at www.Big12Sports.com.

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20

Game 1: #4 Kansas State vs. #5 Kansas, 9:00 a.m.

Game 2: #1 Texas vs. #8 BAYLOR, 12:30 p.m.

Game 3: #3 Missouri vs. #6 Texas A&M, 4:00 p.m.

Game 4: #2 Oklahoma vs. #7 Texas Tech, 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, MAY 21

Game 5: Kansas vs. Texas, 4:00 p.m.

Game 6: BAYLOR vs. Kansas State, 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, MAY 22

Game 7: Texas Tech vs. Missouri, 4:00 p.m.

Game 8: Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, MAY 23

Game 9: Kansas vs. BAYLOR, 9:00 a.m.

Game 10: Texas vs. Kansas State, 12:30 p.m.

Game 11: Oklahoma vs. Missouri, 4:00 p.m.

Game 12: Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech, 7:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, MAY 24

Title Game: Pool One Winner vs. Pool Two Winner, 1:00 p.m.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS

WEDNESDAY

Baylor: TBA

Texas: RHP Cole Green, So. (4-2, 2.85 ERA, 72.2 IP, 64 H, 21 BB, 50 K, .240 OBA)

THURSDAY

Baylor: TBA

KansasState: RHP A.J. Morris, Jr. (12-1, 1.61 ERA, 100.2 IP, 76 H, 24 BB, 91 K, .203 OBA)

SATURDAY

Baylor: TBA

Kansas: RHP Lee Ridenhour, Fr. (6-2, 4.37 ERA, 781. IP, 82 H, 23 BB, 48 K, .272 OBA)

BAYLOR-TEXAS SERIES

Overall: Texas leads 227-98-4

2009: Texas swept split series

Waco: Texas leads 90-55-3

Austin: Texas leads 130-32-1

Neutral Site: Texas leads 11-7

During Big 12 era: Texas leads 27-21

Smith vs. Texas: 26-31

First Meeting: Texas 13, Baylor 1 [4/4/1903]

Last Meeting: Texas 3, at Baylor 1 [5/3/2009]

BAYLOR-KANSAS STATE SERIES

Overall: Baylor leads 31-12

2009: Baylor won series 2-1 in Waco

Waco: Baylor leads 21-2

Manhattan: Baylor leads 10-8

Neutral Site: Kansas State leads 2-0

During Big 12 era: Baylor leads 30-11

Smith vs. K-State: 30-11

First Meeting: at Baylor 2, K-State 0 [3/28/1966]

Last Meeting: at Baylor 7, K-State 6 [3/29/2009]

BAYLOR-KANSAS SERIES

Overall: Baylor leads 38-6

2009: Baylor won series 2-1 at Lawrence

Waco: Baylor leads 20-1

Lawrence: Baylor leads 16-5

Neutral Site: Baylor leads 2-0

During Big 12 era: Baylor leads 32-12

Smith vs. Kansas: 33-6

First Meeting: at Baylor 8, Kansas 1 [1957]

Last Meeting: Baylor 21, at Kansas 9 [4/5/2009]

INTERNET FEEDS

GameTracker: www.BaylorBears.com

Audio: www.BaylorBears.com

Video: www.Big12Sports.com

TEAM NOTES

• Baylor closed the regular season with 10 consecutive losses in Big 12 play. That is the longest conference losing streak in program history. The previous long was an eight-game Southwest Conference skid in 1994.

• Baylor's strength of schedule is rated 10th nationally, according to www.BoydsWorld.com.

• Baylor has seven last-at-bat victories this season, the most by a Baylor team since the 2005 squad had 12.

• The Bears are 4-0 in extra-inning games this season. Baylor batters are 10-for-13 in extra innings.

• Baylor is 12-4 in one-run games. After enjoying a 10-game winning streak in one-run games, the Bears lost three consecutive one-run games in a six-game span.

• Baylor ranks sixth in the Big 12 Conference in batting (.298), eighth in pitching (5.26) and ninth in fielding (.962) through games of May 17.

• Baylor's 67 home runs this season rank as the fourth-best season total in program history and the Bears' most since hitting 83 over 68 games in 2003.

• The Bears were held without a home run in the Nebraska series; it marked Baylor's first Big 12 series without a home since last year's Missouri series, snapping a 15-series streak.

• Baylor hit 35 home runs in Big 12 play, tied with the 2003 squad for fourth in program history. The Bears hit 58 homers in league play in 1998, 46 in 1997 and 43 in 1999.

• Three Baylor players have tallied at least 10 home runs this season. It marks the first time Baylor has produced more than two players with at least 10 home runs each since four accomplished the feat in 2003.

• Baylor pinch hitters have tallied 25 hits this season. Kenton Gedwed leads the way, going 8-for-18.

• Baylor batters are 10-for-13 (.769) in extra innings.

• Baylor is 15-2 when producing a big inning (four-plus runs) and 12-21 without a big inning. Likewise, the Bears are 1-9 when allowing a big inning and 26-14 when not allowing a big inning.

• Baylor is 19-0 when leading after eight innings. The Bears have won 25 consecutive games when leading after eight innings since squandering a six-run, ninth-inning lead in last year's Texas A&M series finale (April 20).

PLAYER NOTES

• DH Dustin Dickerson ranks second in the Big 12 in batting average (.373). He also is tied for seventh in hits (75).

• Dickerson has hit safely in 10 consecutive games and in 34 of the last 35.

• Dickerson's 24-game hitting streak earlier this year was the longest in the Big 12 this season and tied for the seventh-longest in conference history. His streak also was the third-longest in Baylor history.

• Dickerson also enjoyed a 16-game hitting streak in Big 12 play, which ranks as the second-longest in the league this season.

• Dickerson started the season 6-for-27 (.222) with runners on base; since then, he is hitting .394 (28-for-71) with runners on base.

• SS Shaver Hansen ranks third in the Big 12 in home runs (15), tops among league shortstops. Nine of his homers were in league play, one shy of Charley Carter's 1998 Baylor record.

• Hansen is tied with Jeremy Dodson (1997) for ninth on Baylor's single-season home run list. His homer total is the most by a Baylor player since Chris Durbin had 18 round-trippers in 2003.

• Hansen has established Baylor's single-season record for home runs by a shortstop. He has 11 this season while playing short, topping Beamer Weems' 2007 record of nine. ... Hansen is the first Baylor infielder with 10-plus home runs in a season since Matt Williams (19) and Eric Nelson (17) accomplished the feat in 1999.

• Hansen is tied for 10th in the Big 12 in RBI (50) and seventh in slugging percentage (.619). In league play, he was seventh in RBI (25), sixth in total bases (65) and sixth in slugging percentage (.644).

• RF/LHP Aaron Miller ranks 10th in the conference in on base percentage (.438).

• In league games, Miller ranks ninth in the Big 12 with 48 strikeouts; he also leads the league with 12.96 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in league play.

• CF/RHP Brooks Pinckard's 11 stolen bases are the most by a Baylor freshman since Jace Brewer had 12 stolen bases in 1999. Pinckard is the first Baylor freshman with at least 10 stolen bases since Chase Gerdes had 10 swipes in 2004.

• RHP Kendal Volz ranks 20th in the Big 12 in ERA (4.62). ... In conference games, Volz was sixth in innings pitched (58.2) and tied for fifth in strikeouts (59).

MILESTONE WATCH

• OF Ben Booker needs 10 at bats to crack Baylor's all-time top-10 list.

• 1B/DH Dustin Dickerson one hit to reach 200 for his career.

• 1B/DH Dan Evatt needs three home runs to match Matt Williams' 1998 Baylor freshman record.

• SS Shaver Hansen needs 10 hits to reach 200 for his career. ... Hansen needs two home runs to move into a sixth-place tie on Baylor's single-season list.

• RF/LHP Aaron Miller needs three home runs to crack Baylor's career top-10 list. ... Miller needs one home run to become the first Baylor player with at least 12 home runs in consecutive seasons since Josh Ford in 2003 (12) and 2004 (14).

• RHP Kendal Volz has 222 career strikeouts; he needs three to crack Baylor's career top-10 list.

BIG 12 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

The Big 12 Championship makes its 11th appearance at Oklahoma City this season. Each of the first five Big 12 tournaments, the 2003 tournament and each of the last four events were played in Oklahoma City. The 2002 and 2004 tournaments, both at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, were the only Big 12 tournaments not played in Oklahoma City. All-Sports Stadium was the site of the first conference tournament in 1997; the next year, Bricktown Ballpark opened in OKC, and it served as the host site from 1998 to 2001.

BAYLOR BIG 12 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TIDBITS

• Baylor and Oklahoma are the only schools to have participated in every Big 12 postseason event. Oklahoma State had qualified each year prior to this season.

• Baylor has made five championship title game appearances: 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Only Nebraska (six) has made more title game appearances.

• This is the first time Baylor has been the eight seed; in fact, the Bears have never finished lower than sixth prior to this season. Baylor's eighth-place finish this season was its lowest conference finish since placing eighth in the Southwest Conference in 1981.

• Baylor is 33-33 all-time in conference tournaments, including a 21-20 mark in the Big 12 event.

• Baylor is 19-16 all-time in Big 12 Championship games in Oklahoma City, including a 19-14 mark at Bricktown Ballpark.

• Baylor is 5-4 in pool play at the Big 12 Championship. The Bears lost to Nebraska and Texas before defeating Texas Tech in 2006. In 2007, the Bears went 3-0, defeating Oklahoma State, Missouri and Oklahoma. Last season, Baylor defeated Nebraska before falling to Oklahoma State and Kansas State.

• Baylor, Nebraska and Oklahoma have played the most games in Big 12 Championship history, each playing 41 games.

BAYLOR-TEXAS SERIES HISTORY

Baylor and Texas meet for the 330th time Wednesday; this the most-played series in Baylor baseball history. The Longhorns hold a 227-98-4 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to an 11-1 Texas victory April 4, 1903.

Texas leads the series both in games played in Waco (90-55-3) and at Austin (130-32-1). However, the Bears hold an 11-7 advantage in neutral-site meetings. Baylor is 26-31 against Texas during head coach Steve Smith's tenure.

Baylor is 21-27 against Texas since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1997; Texas leads 21-18 in regular-season Big 12 meetings during that time. Texas has won each of the last four and six of the last seven regular-season series, sweeping the Bears this season for the third time in the last four years. Baylor and Texas have met 20 times over the past four seasons; neither team has played any other team more times in that span.

BAYLOR-TEXAS BIG 12 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

1999 Second Round Baylor 8, Texas 2

2000 Second Round Baylor 3, Texas 2

2003 Title Game Texas 10, Baylor 8 (10 innings)

2005 Semifinals Baylor 9, Texas 8 (Texas eliminated)

2005 Pool Play - Game 2 Texas 16, Baylor 8

LAST BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING

TEXAS16, BAYLOR 8

POOL PLAY • MAY 25, 2006 • BRICKTOWN BALLPARK

Texas turned a close game into a blowout with a seven-run fourth inning that handed Ryan LaMotta his lone career loss in Big 12 Championship play. The Horns led 5-4 after Beamer Weems' leadoff homer and Seth Fortenberry's three-run shot in the bottom of the third. However, Texas sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth. Weems added a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, cutting Texas' lead to 12-6, but the Bears never could get any closer. Fortenberry was 3-for-4 with a triple off the top of the wall and a bunt single. Chase Gerdes was 2-for-2 with two walks.

BAYLOR-KANSASSTATESERIES HISTORY

Baylor and Kansas State meet for the 44th time Thursday. Baylor holds a 31-12 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to a 2-0 Baylor victory March 28, 1966, in Waco. The Bears won two of three in this year's series, rebounding from a series-opening loss.

While Baylor has dominated the series in Waco (21-2 all-time), the series has been very competitive elsewhere. Baylor holds a 10-8 edge at Manhattan; however, the Wildcats have won both neutral-site meetings, including a 3-2 win in pool play at last year's Big 12 Championship.

Baylor is 30-10 against Kansas State in regular-season Big 12 meetings. The Bears have won 12 of the 13 Big 12 series, including all seven series in Waco. In fact, the Bears are 20-1 against the Wildcats in Waco during the Big 12 era. Baylor is 7-3 against Kansas State in the teams' last 10 meetings.

BAYLOR-KANSASSTATEBIG 12 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2002 Second Round Kansas State 6, Baylor 2

2008 Pool Play - Game 3 Kansas State 3, Baylor 2

LAST BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING

KANSASSTATE3, BAYLOR 2

POOL PLAY • MAY 24, 2008 • BRICKTOWN BALLPARK

Consecutive one-out RBI singles from Drew Biery and Byron Wiley erased a 2-1 Baylor lead and gave Kansas State a 3-2 victory that put the Wildcats in the title game. Trailing 1-0, the Bears took the lead in the top of the sixth on Shaver Hansen's RBI single and Dustin Dickerson's sacrifice fly. However, that lead was short-lived as the Wildcats got singles from four of their first five batters in the bottom of the inning. Kendal Volz took the loss for the Bears, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk with eight strikeouts over 5.1 innings. Baylor stranded 10 base runners, including six in scoring position and three at third base.

BAYLOR-KANSAS SERIES HISTORY

Baylor and Kansas meet for the 45th time Saturday. The Bears hold a 38-6 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to an 8-1 Baylor victory during the 1957 season. Baylor won two of three at Lawrence this season, winning the opener and the finale.

The Bears have won 33 of the last 37 meetings; Baylor has swept eight of the last 12 season series, including last year's series in Waco. The only non-sweeps in that span were in 2003 (Baylor took two of three at Lawrence), 2006 (Baylor took two of three in Waco), 2007 (Baylor took two of three at Lawrence) and this season.

BAYLOR-KANSAS BIG 12 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2005 First Round Baylor 2, Kansas 1 (10 innings)

LAST BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING

BAYLOR 2, KANSAS 1

FIRST ROUND • MAY 25, 2005 • BRICKTOWN BALLPARK

Josh Ford led off the 10th with a double and later scored on Paul Witt's bases-loaded, one-out, walk-off single to give the Bears' a 2-1 victory. Baylor starter Mark McCormick was forced to leave the game only 10 pitches into the game after taking a comeback liner off his pitching hand. Ryan LaMotta entered the game and tossed 8.1 scoreless innings. Seth Fortenberry answered Kansas' first-inning unearned run with a solo homer in the bottom of the second. Abe Woody, who pitched a scoreless 10th, earned the victory for the Bears.

TALE OF TWO SEASONS

Baylor posted an 8-5 victory April 17 in the series opener at Oklahoma State. At that point, the Bears were 25-11 and ranked seventh nationally. Since then, the Bears are 2-12, including a 10-game Big 12 losing streak that is the longest conference skid in program history.

Here is a look at how things have changed since the season's first 36 games:

GAMES GAMES

1-36 37-50

Record 25-11 2-12

Home 18-6 2-6

Big 12 10-6 0-10

Batting Average .311 .264

with 2 outs .282 .273

with RISP .355 .250

2-out RBI Per Game 2.7 2.1

Runs Per Game 7.9 5.1

Slugging Percnetage .504 .410

On Base Percnetage .392 .333

Scoring Margin +2.1 -3.1

First Inning 40-25 3-18

First Three Innings 115-57 22-47

Double Plays Turned Per Game 1.0 0.6

ERA 4.70 6.75

Opp. Batting Average .279 .331

with 2 outs .219 .333

with RISP .275 .318

2-out RBI Per Game 1.4 2.9

Hits Allowed Per 9.0 Innings 9.7 12.3

Homers Allowed Per 9.0 Innings 0.7 2.0

WHIP (BB+H/IP) 1.528 1.792

BAYLOR ON A HOMER BARRAGE

Baylor has blasted 67 home runs this season, the fourth-best season total in school history and the most by a Baylor team since the 2003 squad had 83 homers in 68 games.

The Bears were shutout 6-0 April 4 at Kansas; the following day, the Bears tied a single-game school record with eight home runs. Baylor hit at least one home run in each of the next 18 games, eclipsing the previous school record by six games. The Bears previously had homered in 12 consecutive games on four occasions.

Baylor hit 35 home runs in Big 12 play, the most by a Baylor squad since the Bears hit 35 in 27 games during the 2003 season. The Bears hit 58 home runs in 28 Big 12 games during the 1998 season, 46 in 30 league games in 1997 and 43 in 27 league games in 1999.

HOMER TRIO BAYLOR'S BEST IN SIX YEARS

Three Bears have blasted at least 10 home runs each this season - SS Shaver Hansen (15), RF/LHP Aaron Miller and DH Dustin Dickerson (10). It marks the first time three or more Bears have reached double figures in home runs since 2003 when Chris Durbin (18), Josh Ford (12), Michael Griffin (11) and David Murphy (11) all accomplished the feat.

The 1998 squad was the most prolific with six players reaching double figures in home runs. This marks the sixth time Baylor has produced at least three players with 10-plus home runs. Here is a look at each such season:

1997 (3) - Jeremy Dodson (15), Jon Topolski (11), Jim Blair (10)

1998 (6) - Charley Carter (21), Jon Topolski (19), Jason Jennings (18), Jeremy Dodson (13), Eric Nelson (13), Jim Blair (10)

1999 (4) - Matt Williams (19), Jason Jennings (17), Eric Nelson (17), Jon Topolski (17)

2002 (3) - Chris Durbin (14), Matt Williams (13), Kelly Shoppach (12)

2003 (4) - Chris Durbin (18), Josh Ford (12), Michael Griffin (11), David Murphy (11)

2009 (3) - Shaver Hansen (15), Aaron Miller (11), Dustin Dickerson (10)

DICKERSON, MILLER STREAKS AMONG LEAGUE'S BEST

1B Dustin Dickerson and RF/LHP Aaron Miller have produced three of the seven longest hitting streaks in the Big 12 this season. Dickerson posted a career-long, 24-game streak that was the longest in the league this season and tied for the seventh-longest in Big 12 history. Dickerson's streak also was the third-longest in Baylor history.

Meanwhile, Miller posted streaks of 17 games - a career long - and 15 games. Miller is the only player in the Big 12 this season to post two hitting streaks of at least 15 games.

Dickerson and/or Miller has hit safely in every game this season since both were hitless in the season opener. Dickerson, who enters the Big 12 Championship with a 10-game hitting streak, has hit safely in 34 of the last 35 games.

Here is a look at the longest hitting streaks in the Big 12 this season (through games of May 17):

ALL GAMES BIG 12 GAMES

24 - Dustin Dickerson, Baylor 18 - Michael Torres, Texas

17 - Aaron Miller, Baylor 16 - Dustin Dickerson, Baylor

16 - Jamie Johnson, Oklahoma 13 - Buck Afenir, Kansas

15 - Garrett Buechele, Oklahoma 12 - Thomas Belza, Oklahoma State *

15 - Kyle Mach, Missouri * 12 - Jaime Johnson, Oklahoma

15 - Aaron Miller, Baylor 11 - Luke Anders, Texas A&M

15 - Chris Richburg, Texas Tech 11 - Garrett Buechele, Oklahoma

14 - Brandon Belt, Texas 11 - Kyle Colligan, Texas A&M **

14 - Tony Thompson, Kansas 11 - J.T. Wise, Oklahoma

14 - Tony Thompson, Kansas 10 - Brandon Belt, Texas

13 - Adam Bailey, Nebraska 10 - Kyle Mach, Missouri *

13 - Bryant Hernandez, Oklahoma

13 - Neil Medchill, Oklahoma State

12 - Michael Dabbs, Oklahoma State

12 - David Narodowski, Kansas

* - active

** - also hit safely in the final nine games of the 2008 season

*** - also hit safely in the final seven Big 12 game of the 2008 season

HANSEN HOMERUN TALLY AMONG BAYLOR BESTS

With 15 home runs on the season, SS Shaver Hansen is third the Big 12 in round-trippers; he also is tied for the conference lead with nine homers in league games. Hansen ranks fourth nationally in home runs among shortstops.

Hansen is the first Baylor infielder with 10-plus home runs in a season since Michael Griffin had 10 in 2004. Hansen's 15 homers are the most by any Baylor player ties for the ninth-best season total in Baylor history. His nine home runs in Big 12 play are one shy of Charley Carter's 1998 single-season Baylor record. Hansen also has established a single-season school record for home runs by a shortstop, and his 15 home runs rank second at Baylor since the minus-three bat restrictions began in 2000.

BEARS COMING THROUGH IN LATE INNINGS

Baylor has seven wins this season in its last at bat, including six walk-off victories. Four times the Bears have produced extra-inning, walk-off hits; 1B Dustin Dickerson produced two of those four hits. Dickerson also had a game-winning, two-run single in the top of the ninth in the Kansas series opener; the hit snapped a 6-6 tie and the Bears held on for an 8-6 win.

GEDWED BIG 12 PINCH-HIT LEADER

OF Kenton Gedwed leads the Bears with eight pinch hits this season, the most by a Baylor player since Ross Bennett had eight pinch hits in 2002. Through games of May 17, Gedwed leads the Big 12 in pinch hits. 2B Joey Hainsfurther is tied for seventh in the league with three pinch hits. Here is a look at the league's pinch-hit leaders with total pinch-hit at bats in parentheses:

8 - Kenton Gedwed, Baylor (18)

7 - Logan Leslie, Texas Tech (19)

5 - Ross Hubbard, Oklahoma (18)

5 - Tyler Ogle, Oklahoma (9)

4 - Mike Kindel, Kansas State (10)

4 - Joe Patterson, Texas A&M (11)

3 - Ryan Ampleman, Missouri (6)

3 - Preston Clark, Texas (9)

3 - Zac Elgie, Kansas (4)

3 - Joey Hainsfurther, Baylor (4)

3 - Randy McCurry, Oklahoma State (7)

3 - Russell Moldenhauer, Texas (9)

3 - Brett Parsons, Texas A&M (12)

3 - Cade Thompson, Nebrask (14)

HANSEN, MILLER, VOLZ NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT VI

Three Baylor baseball student-athletes earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI honors, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced. SS Shaver Hansen, RF/LHP Aaron Miller and RHP Kendal Volz all were named first team. Baylor was the only school with three first-team selections.

Miller earned first-team honors for the second consecutive season; Hansen was a second-team selection last year. This marks the fourth consecutive year in which at least two Baylor student-athletes have earned academic all-district honors. Miller joins Jason Jennings (1998, 1999), Jon Topolski (1998, 1999) and Ross Bennett (2002, 2003) as the only Bears to earn first-team academic all-district honors twice.

By virtue of their first-team all-district selections, Hansen, Miller and Volz are eligible for Academic All-America honors. Baylor's last baseball Academic All-American was Zach Dillon in 2006.

BAYLOR PLACES 11 ON ACADEMIC ALL-BIG 12 SQUADS

Eleven Baylor baseball student-athletes earned Academic All-Big 12 Conference honors, the league office announced Thursday. The Bears placed nine student-athletes on the first team and two on the second team. Baylor led all schools in total honors and was second behind only Missouri (10) in first-team honorees.

Baylor baseball student-athletes have earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors 73 times in the league's 13-year history, 15 more than any other school in the conference. Nebraska (58) ranks second, followed by Oklahoma State (53), Kansas (44), Missouri (44), Oklahoma (39), Kansas State (35), Texas (32), Texas Tech (30) and Texas A&M (26).

The nine first-team honorees were 3B Drew Bias (B.A. English; pursuing Master's degree in sport management), SS Shaver Hansen (economics), RHP Willie Kempf (finance/real estate), C Brooks Kimmey (health science studied/pre-med), RF/LHP Aaron Miller (management/entrepreneurship), RHP Ross Speed (pre-business), RHP Shawn Tolleson (health science studies/pre-dental), RHP Kendal Volz (finance/real estate) and 2B Landis Ware (graphic design). OF Don Lambert (pre-business) and OF Brooks Pinckard (general studies) earned second-team honors.

Hansen, Kempf, Miller, Tolleson and Volz all were first-team selections for the second consecutive season. Kimmey, Speed, Ware, Lambert and Pinckard all were selected in their first year of eligibility for academic all-conference honors.

VERRETT EARNS USA BASEBALL NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS INVITE

RHP Logan Verrett has been named one of 17 initial invitees to the 2009 USA Baseball National Team Trials, the governing body of amateur baseball in the United States announced Tuesday. Verrett is the lone player from the Big 12 Conference on the initial invitee list.

A freshman from Calallen High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, Verrett is 7-1 this season with two saves and a 3.50 ERA. He has leads the Bears with 54 strikeouts against 16 walks over 43.2 innings. Baylor is 11-2 this season in his 13 appearances, including an 8-1 mark when he pitches in relief.

Verrett is one of five freshmen on the invitee list, joining fellow right-handers Gerrit Cole (UCLA), Sonny Gray (Vanderbilt) and Tony Zych (Louisville), and infielder Anthony Rendon (Rice). Verrett currently is tied for 13th nationally in victories; he joins Florida State's Sean Gilmartin and Sacramento State's Jesse Darrah as the nation's only freshmen with seven wins.

This is the second consecutive year in which a Baylor player has received a National Team Trials invite. Kendal Volz and Shaver Hansen both received invites last year with Volz earning a spot on the team. Verrett is the first Baylor freshman to earn a National Team Trials invite since Zane Carlson in 2000.

The 2009 National Team Trials will be held June 15-24 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The Trials will consist of 36 collegiate players vying for 22 spots on the National Team roster. Tulane head coach Rick Jones will serve as head coach for the 2009 National Team. Jones will be joined by pitching coach Mike Kennedy (Elon) and assistant coaches Dan McDonnell (Louisville) and Rob Cooper (Wright State).

EXTRA SPECIAL

Baylor is 19-7 in extra-inning games since the start of the 2003 season. After limping to a 1-3 record last season, the Bears already are 4-0 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 19 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.

VERRETT AMONG ELITE CLUB

RHP Logan Verrett is the 11th Baylor freshman to post at least six wins. Furthermore, he is only the fifth to accomplish the feat during head coach Steve Smith's tenure, joining Ryan LaMotta (2003), Abe Woody (2003), Kendal Volz (2007) and Shawn Tolleson (2008). Aaron Lineweaver established Baylor's record for wins by a freshman with nine in 1993.

Verrett, who is tied for fourth nationally in wins, is the fifth Baylor freshman to win at least seven games and the first to win accomplish the feat since LaMotta was 7-3 in 2003. Verrett's 7-0 start tied the school record for consecutive wins to start a career by a freshman; Ted Richardson finished the 1985 season at 7-0.

NEXT UP...

Baylor enters the Nebraska series with a magic number of one (any win or any Oklahoma State loss) in order to qualify for next week's Big 12 Conference Championship at Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City. If the Bears do qualify for the event, the team will travel Monday morning from Omaha, Neb., to Oklahoma City for the event.

A full schedule of events for the Big 12 Championship will be posted on BaylorBears.com and Big12Sports.com immediately upon availability Sunday evening. Teams have practice sessions Tuesday with pool play running Wednesday through Saturday prior to Sunday's title game.