UW Notes

WACO, Texas -- No. 21/22 Baylor baseball heads to Seattle this weekend for a non-conference three-game series vs. Washington. The games are scheduled for 8 p.m. CT Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 3 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 home games online at BaylorBears.com.

SERIESà ¢Ã¢' ¬Ã‹ € INFO
Date(s): March 31-April 2, 2017
Time(s): 8 PM | 4 PM | 3 PM CT
Location: Seattle, Wash.
Stadium: Husky Ballpark (2,200)
Radio: ESPN/KRZI 1660 AMà ¢Ã¢' ¬Ã‹ € (Waco)
Talent: Derek Smith (pxp), Steve Johnigan (color)

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: UW lead 1-2
Streak: UW has won 1
Waco: UW leads 1-2
Seattle: N/A
Neutral Site: N/A
Rodriguez vs: 1-2
First Meeting: Feb. 19, 2016
Last Meeting: Feb. 21, 2016

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

BAYLOR BEARS
2017 Record: 18-7
2017 Big 12 Record: 2-4
Head Coach: Steve Rodriguez
Career: 328-334 (14th season)
BU: 42-36 (2nd season)

2017 STAT LEADERS
AVG: Richard Cunningham (.357)
2B: Richard Cunningham (7)
HR: Kameron Esthay (4)
RBI: Kameron Esthay (20)
SB: Five Players (1)

WASHINGTON HUSKIES
2017 Record: 14-9
2017 Pac-12 Record: 4-2
Head Coach: Lindsay Meggs
Career: 831-503-5 (23rd season)
UW: 216-196-1 (8th season)

2017 STAT LEADERS
AVG: MJ Hubbs (.338)
2B: Meggs, Morgan (8)
HR: MacIver, Meggs (2)
RBI: Willie McIver (16)
SB: MJ Hubbs (5)

Not that he doesn't appreciate the concern, but Baylor baseball coach Steve Rodriguez frankly got tired of hearing, "You OK?"

Since a school record-tying 15-2 start, the 21st-ranked Bears (18-7, 2-4) have lost five of their last eight and dropped their first two conference series at home to West Virginia and Oklahoma.

Particularly in Sunday's 3-0 loss to OU, "I think our guys did what we've been doing all year. We just didn't get the hit, where before we were getting the hit."

"We hit into, like, four double plays against Oklahoma on Sunday," Rodriguez said, "and when you look at some of those innings we had, we just didn't get the hit. You lay a good swing on it, you hit a ball hard, and it's just right at the shortstop or third baseman. Or, someone makes a great play. We've done that to quite a few teams this year. So, there's no stress."

Sophomore second baseman Josh Bissonette said the Bears' confidence level is very high going into a weekend series at Washington (14-9). Making its first trip to the state of Washington, Baylor will play games at 8 p.m. CDT Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Husky Ballpark, with live streaming at www.GoHuskies.com.

"This whole fall, we've taught ourselves to finish and just to work as hard as we can," Bissonette said. "And if the results aren't in our favor, we just wipe it off and come back the next day, ready to work."

When the hits just aren't falling, Rodriguez said, "the results don't always reflect everything that's going into it."

"That's the hard part - you can play poorly and still win; and you can play well and lose," Rodriguez said. "I think we're kind of in the middle right now. . . . I just want us to stay competitive, keep doing the small things we were doing early. I like where we are, I really do."

Getting a break from conference play, the Bears get a Washington team that dropped two of three at Oregon last weekend after sweeping a series at home against Utah. Last year, the Huskies won two of three in Waco in Rodriguez debut at Baylor, winning a Sunday rubber match, 7-1.

"We're going to have our hands full, there's no doubt about that," Rodriguez said. "I think it will be a good challenge for our guys with some different kinds of pressures. At the same time, it will be different, just because it's not in conference. I really think it will be good for us."

Washington has a solid weekend rotation led by junior right-hander Noah Bremer (2-2, 1.89 ERA), who will start Friday's game opposed by Baylor senior righty Nick Lewis (3-2, 3.09). Bremer is the younger brother of former Baylor pitcher Tyler Bremer, who's now in the Miami Marlins organization.

The pitching matchups for the rest of the series will have Baylor junior right-hander Montana Parsons (2-1, 2.95) pitted against UW freshman Jordan Jones (2-4, 3.12) on Saturday and BU freshman lefty Cody Bradford (3-2, 2.70) versus Husky sophomore Joe DeMers (3-1, 2.63) in Sunday's finale.

Bradford showed his resilience in Sunday's 3-0 loss to Oklahoma, when he bounced back to put up four zeroes after giving up a three-run, two-out homer in the second.

"That's kind of what I've been saying," Rodriguez said. "We need to take a step back and took a look at the bigger picture. He threw one bad pitch, but he's a freshman that ended up going six or seven innings and still only giving up three runs against what I think might be one of the most powerful offenses in the country. The future's going to be bright for that young man."

In addition to the break from conference, Rodriguez said going on the road and getting away from the friendly confines of Baylor Ballpark can be a good thing.

"Just getting away, being on the road, having to room with each other and going to eat with each other, there's a lot of great things that happen," he said. "It's good for team camaraderie and team-building. We play a lot of games here at home, so I think this is actually a really good time for us."

*Baylor's 15-2 start through 17 games was tied for its best in program history (started 15-2 in 1990 and 1961).

*Baylor is ranked in the top 25 by Baseball America for a 4th straight week for the 1st time since 2012.

*Baylor is 7-6 as a ranked team this season and 5-4 against ranked teams.

*Baylor is 5-1 away from Baylor Ballpark this season (3-0 on road, 2-1 in neutral sites) -- Baylor has started 3-0 on the road for the first time since 2008.

*In 6 weekends, Baylor starting rotation has combined to give up just 40 runs (36 earned) on 105 hits and 40 walks with 85 strikeouts in 105.2 innings for a 3.08 ERA and 1.38 WHIP. The trio Sr. RHP Nick Lewis, Jr. RHP Montana Parsons and Fr. LHP Cody Bradford has a record of 8-5.

*Baylor has lost its last 2 three-game series of the season after winning three in a row with two sweeps.