No. 10 Texas hosts Baylor for ‘Made in Austin Weekend’

Coming off a Big 12 series loss to the Kansas State Wildcats last weekend and a Tuesday loss to the Air Force Fighting Falcons, the No. 10 Texas Longhorns (27-13, 6-6) host the Baylor Bears (20-17, 4-8) at a sold-out UFCU Disch-Falk Field during “Made in Austin Weekend” desperate for some wins against one of the conference’s worst teams.

Texas leads the all-time series 250-112-4, won the series in Waco last year, and swept Baylor the last time the Bears came to Austin in 2018. Over the last four years, the Horns hold a 6-2 advantage in the series.

Despite the mediocre Big 12 record, the Horns still lead the conference in batting average (.311), home runs (64), ERA (4.05), shutouts (six), and are tied for the lead in fielding percentage (.983). First baseman Ivan Melendez is third in the nation in home runs with 17, while right fielder Murphy Stehly and shortstop Trey Faltine each have 11, including Faltine’s walk-off home run to beat Air Force on Wednesday.

And Texas has been good at the Disch, boasting a 15-4 home record with a batting average of .321 and an ERA of 3.47. Baylor, on the other hand, is only 3-8 on the road, but does enter the weekend with a four-game winning streak after breaking a streak of six consecutive losses last Saturday in a 19-2 win over Kansas in Waco.

The pitching staff has not allowed a walk in four of the last five games and Saturday starter, left-hander Kobe Andrade, won Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week honors after throwing a complete game against Kansas by pitching to contact — Andrade recorded 10 first-pitch outs. Outfielder Kyle Nevin was named Big 12 Player of the Week after going 9-for-16 (.563) last week with two home runs among his five extra-base hits and seven RBIs. The Bears don’t have a ton of power, hitting only 25 home runs this season, but have hit one in each of the last five games.

Probable pitching matchups

FRIDAY – Texas LHP Pete Hansen (6-1, 2.78) vs. Baylor RHP Will Rigney (2-1, 4.42)

SATURDAY – Texas RHP Tristan Stevens (4-4, 4.37) vs. Baylor LHP Kobe Andrade (3-1, 3.20)

SUNDAY – Texas LHP Lucas Gordon (3-1, 2.74) vs. Baylor LHP Tyler Thomas (4-3, 1.97)

First pitch on Friday is at 6:30 p.m. Central, followed by 1 p.m. Central on Saturday and Sunday. Longhorn Network will televise all three games.