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Baylor (5-3) at #21 Houston (4-4) March 4-6, 2016 | Houston, Texas | Schroeder Park (3,500) SERIES NOTES
FRI. | 6:30 P.M. | Audio | Video Probable Starters: BU -LHP Daniel Castano 1-1, 5.06 ERA UH - RHP Andrew Lantrip 1-1, 2.38 ERA		SAT. | 6:30 P.M. | Audio | Video Probable Starters: BU - RHP Drew Tolson 1-0, 3.00 ERA UH - TBA		SUN. | 1:00 P.M. | Audio | Video Probable Starters: BU - RHP Nick Lewis 0-1, 2.38 ERA UH - TBA

WACO, Texas- Baylor baseball continues its four-game road trip in Houston this weekend to face No. 21 Houston in a three-game series at Schroeder Park. Games are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT Friday, 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

All Baylor baseball games are broadcast live on Waco's 1660 ESPN Central Texas (1330 AM/100.9 FM in Temple, Belton and Killeen). Derek Smith provides the play-by-play with Steve Johnigan adding color commentary. Live streaming audio, video and GameTracker also are available for all Baylor baseball games online at BaylorBears.com.

SERIESà ¢Ã¢' ¬Ã‹ € INFO
Date(s): March 4-6, 2016
Time(s): 6:30 PM | 6:30 PM | 1 PM CT
Location: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Schroeder Park (3,500)
Radio: ESPN/KRZI 1660 AMà ¢Ã¢' ¬Ã‹ € (Waco)
Talent: Derek Smith (pxp), Steve Johnigan (color)

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: BU leads 87-65
Streak: UH has won 5
Waco: BU leads 35-29
Houston: BU leads 40-28
Neutral Site: BU leads 8-4
Rodriguez vs: 3-1
First Meeting: 1951
Last Meeting: March 31, 2015

SERIES MULTIMEDIA
Live Stats: UHCougars.com
Audio: BaylorBears.com
Video: UHCougars.com
Twitter Updates: @BaylorBaseball

BAYLOR BEARS
2016 Record: 5-3
2015 Big 12 Record: 9-15 (8th)
Head Coach: Steve Rodriguez
Career: 291-301 (13th season)
BU: 5-3 (1st season)

2016 STAT LEADERS
AVG: Darryn Sheppard (.419)
2B: Darryn Sheppard (3)
HR: Cunningham, Sheppard (2)
RBI: Darryn Sheppard (15)
SB: Steven McLean (2)

HOUSTON COUGARS
2016 Record: 4-4
2015 American Record: 16-8 (1st)
Head Coach: Todd Whitting
Career: 176-131-1 (6th season)
UH: 176-131-1 (6th season)

2016 STAT LEADERS
AVG: Joe Davis (.533)
2B: Joe Davis (6)
HR: Casey, Campbell (2)
RBI: Joe Davis (14)
SB: Zac Taylor (7)

TEAM QUICK NOTES
*Baylor is 194-288-1 all-time against opponents ranked by Baseball America, 29-36 since 2011 and 0-0 this season.

*Baylor has won four straight games for the first time since Feb. 18-23, 2014.

*Baylor is 1-0 on its four-game road trip.

*Baylor's pitchers allowed just six baserunners in a 5-1 win at Sam Houston State on Tuesday.

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

After Baylor baseball dropped three of its first four games under Steve Rodriguez, the first-year coach wanted to see "a couple of guys get really hot."

He certainly got his wish. The Bears (5-3) pounded out 34 hits in blowing out Stony Brook in the first two games of a weekend series and then got some clutch hits in Sunday's 6-5 win over the Seawolves and Tuesday's 5-1 road victory over Sam Houston State.

"That's the key for any baseball team," Rodriguez said. "From major leagues to Little League, if you have a couple guys in your lineup that are hot, it makes the game a little more exciting, because they have an opportunity to do something any time they're up."

The Bears hope to stay hot when they travel to face No. 18/21 Houston (4-4) in a three-game series that begins with Friday's 6:30 p.m. game at Schroeder Park. Baylor leads the all-time series of former Southwest Conference rivals, 87-65, but the Cougars have won five in a row and blasted the Bears, 11-0, last year in Waco.

"We always like to play the best," said junior outfielder Darryn Sheppard, who is hitting a sizzling .419 with two homers and 15 RBI. "To be the best, you've got to beat the best. And that's what we're trying to do this weekend."

While it's still early, Sheppard is the one player that's taken the biggest strides under the new coaching staff. A career .190 hitter with 23 RBI in his first 89 games, he's had breakout performances hitting out of the cleanup spot.

"It's really good seeing him in there having some success. Hopefully, it builds his confidence," Rodriguez said. "Watching him take (batting practice), from the beginning, you could see he has some skills. It's just a matter of giving him the offense that will go with it."

Sheppard said that trust and confidence from the coaches have made a big difference this season.

"He trusts me, clearly, and I'm coming through for him," Sheppard said. "And as long as I do that, he's going to keep putting me there. . . . I'm definitely maturing as a batter and a hitter and a player. I used to get really mad when I got out. I think it just comes from maturity to get past that."

Freshman shortstop Josh Bissonette has played with a maturity beyond his years, hitting .292 with a .414 on-base percentage and some solid defensive play in the middle of the infield.

"The adjustment moving from high school to Division I baseball, especially in the Big 12, is kind of a jump," Bissonette said. "But I was lucky enough to have some great teammates and obviously a great coaching staff. They really made the transition a lot easier than I expected it to be."

Sophomore first baseman Kameron Esthay has missed the last three games with an ankle injury and is listed as day-to-day. But in his absence, Aaron Dodson has been on a tear, hitting .400.

"Dodson has come in and done a spectacular job defensively for us, just with his length," Rodriguez said. "He made a couple great plays at Sam Houston State and obviously swung the bat really well. He just smashed a couple balls to center field and didn't really get a lot of recognition for it. But we hit some balls hard at Sam Houston State, and I'm really excited offensively about where our guys are going."

Houston was 43-20 last season, hosting an NCAA Regional for just the third time in program history. Preseason All-American pitcher Andrew Lantrip (1-1, 2.38) gets the start in Friday's game opposed by Baylor junior lefty Daniel Castano (1-1, 5.06).

Baylor assistant coach Mike Taylor was the Cougars' hitting, catching and third base coach for the last two seasons, so he should have a good scouting report.

"The thing is you can know a lot of information about them," Rodriguez said, "but you still have to execute the pitches and you still have to execute offensively. . . We just have to make sure that we're doing our job defensively and on the mound to contain the running game as best we can and continue to get the big two-out hits. That's going to be the biggest thing for us."

The series continues with a 6:30 p.m. game Saturday and wraps up with a game at 1 p.m. Sunday. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN Central Texas (1660-AM), with Derek Smith handling play-by-play and former Baylor assistant coach Steve "Hoot" Johnson providing analysis.