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Baylor (15-14, 3-3) at Oklahoma (15-14-1, 2-4) April 8-10, 2016 | Norman, Okla. | Mitchell Park (3,180) SERIES NOTES
FRI. | 6:00 P.M. Stats | Audio | Video Probable Starters: BU -LHP Daniel Castano 2-4, 4.87 ERA OU - RHP Chris Andritsos 4-2, 2.65 ERA		SAT. | 5:00 P.M. Stats | Audio | Video Probable Starters: BU - RHP Drew Tolson 3-1, 4.12 ERA OU - RHP Ryan Madden 1-1, 2.55 ERA		SUN. | 1:00 P.M. Stats | Audio | Video Probable Starters: BU - RHP Kyle Hill 1-1, 3.60 ERA OU - RHP Jake Elliott 0-0, 4.88 ERA

WACO, Texas- Baylor baseball hits the road this weekend for its first Big 12 away series of the season against Oklahoma. Games are set for 6 p.m. CT Friday on FOX Sports Oklahoma, 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday on FOX College Sports Central.

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): April 8-10, 2016
Time(s): 6 PM | 5 PM | 1 PM CT
Location: Norman, Okla.
Stadium: Mitchell Park (3,180)
TV: FSOK (Fri.) | FCSC (Sun.)
Talent: Chad McKee (pxp), George Frazier (color)
Radio: ESPN/KRZI 1660 AMà ¢Ã¢' ¬Ã‹ € (Waco)
Talent: Derek Smith (pxp), Steve Johnigan (color)

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: OU leads 42-41
Streak: OU has won 1
Waco: BU leads 27-16
Norman: OU leads 23-9
Neutral Site: BU leads 5-3
Rodriguez vs: 0-0
First Meeting: 1936
Last Meeting: March 29, 2015

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

BAYLOR BEARS
2016 Record: 15-14
2016 Big 12 Record: 3-3
Head Coach: Steve Rodriguez
Career: 301-312 (13th season)
BU: 15-14 (1st season)

2016 STAT LEADERS
AVG: Darryn Sheppard (.351)
2B: Arrington, Sheppard (8)
HR: Darryn Sheppard (3)
RBI: Darryn Sheppard (27)
SB: Steven McLean (5)

OKLAHOMA SOONERS
2016 Record: 15-14-1
2016 Big 12 Record: 2-4
Head Coach: Pete Hughes
Career: 602-455-3 (20th season)
OU: 78-70 (3rd season)

2016 STAT LEADERS
AVG: Sheldon Neuse (.396)
2B: Sheldon Neuse (9)
HR: Sheldon Neuse (6)
RBI: Sheldon Neuse (23)
SB: Sheldon Neuse (8)

TEAM QUICK NOTES
*Baylor has won seven of its last nine games and four in a row.

*Baylor has won 11 of the 19 Big 12 series vs. Oklahoma, including the last three.

*Baylor has won three of its six three-game series in 2016 and 24 of 50 since 2012.

*Baylor is 195-290-1 all-time against opponents ranked by Baseball America, 30-38 since 2011 and 1-2 this season.

*Baylor is 3-4 on the road in 2016.

*Baylor finished 5-1 on its six-game home stand that ended Wednesday.

*Baylor is 4-3 in midweek games in 2016.

*Baylor is 397-176 all-time at Baylor Ballpark and 12-10 under Steve Rodriguez.

*Baylor's pitchers posted their first shutout of the season on April 6 vs. Wofford and first since a 3-0 win over Oklahoma on March 27, 2015.

*Baylor has scored at least one run in the first inning 11 times in 29 games and has scored 25 first-inning runs in 2016.

*Among Big 12 leaders, Troy Montemayor is first in saves (6), Steven McLean is first in HBPs (11), Darryn Sheppard is fourth in RBI (27) and batting average (.351) and sixth in hits (39) and total bases (60) and seventh in triples (2), Richard Cunningham is fourth in HBPs (8) and seventh in triples (2), Steven McLean is seventh in triples (2) and Daniel Castano is sixth in strikeouts (40).

*Among NCAA leaders, McLean is 13th in HBPs, Montemayor is 29th in saves and Cunningham is 46th in HBPs.

*Sophomore RHP Troy Montemayor gathered his sixth save of the season and of his career in as many attempts with a clean ninth on April 3 vs. Kansas.

*Junior LHP Daniel Castano has 38 strikeouts over 39.2 innings in his last six starts.

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

Steve Rodriguez knows players are going to make mistakes. He just doesn't want them to be passive about it.

"I want them to free it up a little bit and be able to go out there and play with confidence and play with aggressiveness," the first-year Baylor baseball coach said. "If they make any mistakes, make it aggressively. Don't make a passive mistake. That's kind of how they're playing right now. We've made some mistakes, but as long as they're aggressive, I can handle those."

Outside of Texas Tech, off to a surprising 8-1 start in Big 12 play, the Bears (15-14, 3-3) are one of the hottest teams in the Big 12 going into a weekend series at Oklahoma (15-14-1, 2-4). They're riding a four-game winning streak and have won seven of their last nine going into Friday's 6 p.m. series opener at Mitchell Park.

"We're swinging the bat really well. We're just confident up there, being free swingers," said junior outfielder Darryn Sheppard, who is hitting .351 with three homers and 27 RBI. "I think the coaches are letting us go a little bit, letting us do our own thing. And I think that's working out pretty well for us right now."

After taking two of three in series against Dallas Baptist and Kansas, Baylor kept the momentum going by sweeping a two-game set at home against Wofford, getting an outstanding pitching performance from freshman Andrew McInvale in Wednesday's 4-0 shutout.

"My goals are always winning," Rodriguez said. "And I truthfully believe that as long as you play the game the right way, you throw low strikes, you play good defense and you have quality at-bats, you're going to have success. I constantly tell our guys, just focus on the things we have control over. Don't worry about some of the outside influences, I call it static. After that, we really don't have anything to worry about except for ourselves."

Friday night starter Daniel Castano (2-4, 4.87 ERA) has taken the only losses in the last two weeks, giving up a four-run fifth to Dallas Baptist and a four-run sixth in last week's 6-1 loss to Kansas.

"He just needs to realize he's one of the best pitchers in the conference and just go out there and pitch the way he can," Rodriguez said. "He's like a baby Andy Pettitte, he really is, just by a lot of the thigns he does and his mannerisms. To be honest, I just want him to go out there and pitch like that. Go out there and be the guy he can be. He's one of the best pitchers we've had, so I want to make sure he pitches like that."

Junior right-hander Drew Tolson (3-1, 4.12), scheduled to start Saturday's 5 p.m. game against Ryan Madden (1-1, 2.55), has strung together three straight quality starts after getting roughed up in his second outing at Houston.

"He just has the ability to compete down in the zone. He can move the fastball in and out," Rodriguez said. "He doesn't throw really hard, but that's OK. I've had a lot of pitchers who don't throw exceptionally hard but they find a way to help the team win, simply because of their ability to locate fastballs, to mix pitches and to keep hitters off-balance."

OU will start freshman righty Chris Andritsos (4-2, 2.65) in Friday night's matchup against Castano, while Baylor freshman Kyle Hill (1-1, 3.60) will go against junior right-hander Jake Elliott (0-04, 4.88) in Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale.

The Sooners have struggled at times this season, getting swept in three-game series at Sam Houston and Texas Tech. and going winless at the Dodger Stadium Classic. But they've won four of their last five and took two of three from Texas last weekend.

"They haven't gotten off to the hottest start yet," Sheppard said of OU, "but they could turn it on at any point. We've got to be ready for that, and I think we are. We're going to come out with a lot of fire and fight and hopefully we can get some (wins) this weekend."

The Friday and Sunday games will be televised by FOX networks, while all three will be broadcast on ESPN Central Texas (1660).