Baylor
Kansas State
BSB Clashes With No. 24 K-State in Non-Conference Bout
3/16/2026 5:05:00 PM | Baseball
Bears wrap up season-long eight-game homestand with Wildcats in town
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BAYLOR BEARS (11-8, 1-2 Big 12) Location: Waco, Texas Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Mitch Thompson (Fort Hays St., 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF) |
BAYLOR (11-8, 1-2) vs. KANSAS STATE (15-5, 2-1) March 17, 2026 • 6:30 p.m. CT Waco, Texas • Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark (5,000) LIVE STATS: BaylorBears.com/Stats WATCH: ESPN+ Talent: John Morris, Matt Menard LISTEN: ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM/92.3 FM Talent: Derek Smith, Tom Barfield Baylor Social Media:    |
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KANSAS STATE WILDCATS (15-5, 2-1 Big 12) Location: Manhattan, Kan. Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Pete Hughes (Davidson, 1990) Roster | Stats |
STORYLINES
LEADING OFF
• Baylor Baseball wraps up its eight-game homestand with a Tuesday night tilt against No. 24 Kansas State.
• The Bears are 5-2 on the homestand so far, having seen their 10-game home winning streak snapped on Saturday vs. No. 22 WVU.
• BU won the Friday night series opener against the Mountaineers, 7-6, but dropped the series with 13-2 and 8-0 losses to WVU on Saturday and Sunday.
• Baylor's 10-game winning streak at Baylor Ballpark to start the year was its longest since 2021. It's 11-game home winning streak, dating back to 2025, was the longest since 2012 (22).
• Tuesday night will mark BU's ninth game against a ranked opponent so far in 2026, the most by March 17 in a single-season since 2014 (9).
• The Bears have stolen 29 bases through 19 games this year, their most at this point in a season since 2011 (41).
• Baylor has turned 20 double plays in 19 games, which leads the conference and ranks seventh nationally.
• BU pitchers have allowed just 3.59 walks per nine innings, the nation's 43rd-best mark.
• The Bears lead the Big 12 with eight triples and rank eighth in the country.
BY THE NUMBERS AGAINST THE WILDCATS
• Baylor is 56-35 all-time against Kansas State, including a 3-3 mark vs. KSU under fourth-year head coach Mitch Thompson.
• K-State won the three-game series in Waco in 2025, the last meeting between the two sides, though BU salvaged the series with a 19-4 run-rule victory in the Sunday finale.
• BU is 3-1 in midweek ballgames so far in 2026 and has won 19 of its last 21 midweek contests.
• The Bears are 30-12 in midweek games during the Thompson Era.
• This will be Baylor's first non-conference game against a conference opponent, excluding games played in the Big 12 Tournament, since facing Oklahoma in the 2021 Round Rock Classic.
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
• Tues. March 17 • 6:30 p.m. CT • RHP Cayden Baker (1-0, 7.88 ERA) vs. RHP Matt Flores (0-0, 3.24 ERA)
I LOVE THE 90'S
• Baylor will host its annual 90's Night on Tuesday against Kansas State.
• The Bears own a 4-1 record in 90's-themed games dating back to 2022, including a road victory at BYU in 2024.
• The first 200 fans in attendance can pick up a 90's-inspired green shirsey, in addition to a commemorative poster celebrating Tyce Armstrong's historic three-grand slam performance from Opening Day.
OVER THE WEEKEND
• The Bears collected their ninth ranked win of the Thompson Era on Friday night.
• Redshirt senior 1B Tyce Armstrong hit his team-leading seventh home run of the year.
• Senior LHP Ethan Calder turned in BU's first quality start of the season, tossing a team-high 6.1 innings and allowing just three runs on five hits and one walk, while fanning three.
• Redshirt junior INF Travis Sanders extended his on-base streak to 24 games, dating back to the 2025 season.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
• Through 19 games, 47% of Baylor's total plate appearances have been taken by players with less than 55 career PA's entering the 2026 season. True or redshirt freshmen account for 35% of the team's total plate appearances.
• That group also accounts for 46% of the team's hits, including 35% from true or redshirt freshmen.
• 56% of Baylor's hits have come from players who have previously redshirted in their careers.
• 44% of Baylor's IP this season have been thrown by players who have thrown less than five career innings at the Div. I level.
• Baylor has nine true freshmen on its 2026 roster and an additional four redshirt freshmen.
• Through 19 games, 18 Bears have made their Baylor debuts (9 hitters, 9 pitchers), including 10 true or redshirt freshmen.
BROADCAST INFO
• Tuesday's game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
• Voice of the Bears John Morris (play-by-play) and former Baylor catcher Matt Menard (color analyst) will call the action.
• Fans can also tune in to the Baylor Sports Network radio broadcast featuring Derek Smith and Tom Barfield on the call.
• The radio broadcast will be available via ESPN Central Texas 1660 AM/92.3 FM.
SIZZLING SANDERS
• Redshirt junior INF and Preseason All-Big 12 shortstop Travis Sanders is off to a blistering start at the plate, batting .405 (30-for-74) through the first 19 games.
• Sanders became the fastest Bear to collect 20 hits in a season since Davis Wendzel in 2019, as the duo both recorded their 20th knocks in their 43rd at-bats of the year.
• Prior to Wendzel, only Nathan Orf (39 at-bats) was quicker to 20 hits in a season in 2013.
• Sanders is batting a ridiculous .652 on balls in play this season.
• He currently ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 30 hits, just two shy of the league lead, and sixth in the conference in AVG.
FACING THE BEST OF THE BEST
• Through 19 games, Baylor own's the nations No. 18 Strength of Schedule (WarrenNolan.com)
• BU has faced six ranked opponents for a total of eight games, and five of the top-20 RPI teams at this point in the year (No. 1 Southern Miss, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 19 Purdue and No. 20 Oregon State).
• Baylor currently sits at No. 46 in the RPI entering Tuesday's game against Kansas State (No. 37 in RPI).
• Baylor will play a combined 22 games against 11 NCAA Tournament teams in 2026, including three conference champions from a year ago.
• 14 30-game winners headline the 2026 campaign, including six teams that won 40 or more games last season.
• 52% of this year's schedule features opponents that finished 2025 with a top-75 RPI.
To stay up to date on all things Baylor baseball, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorBaseball.
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