Baylor baseball begins the 2017 season with four straight games, hosting Niagara for a weekend series and then facing Nevada on Monday. Games at Baylor Ballpark are set for 6:35 p.m. CT Friday, 2:05 p.m. Saturday, 12:05 p.m. Sunday and 6:35 p.m. Monday.
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.
SERIES?INFO
Date(s): Feb. 17-20, 2017
Time(s): 6:35 PM | 2 PM | 12 PM | 6:35 PM CT
Location: Waco, Texas
Stadium: Baylor Ballpark (5,000)
TV: FSSW (Fri. & Sun.)
Talent: John Morris (pxp), Cody Hall (color)
Radio: ESPN/KRZI 1660 AM?(Waco)
Talent: Derek Smith (pxp), Steve Johnigan (color)
SERIES HISTORY (NIA | NEV)
Overall: 1st meeting | 1st meeting
Waco: N/A | N/A
Away: N/A | N/A
Neutral Site: N/A | N/A
Rodriguez vs: N/A | N/A
First Meeting: N/A | N/A
Last Meeting: N/A | N/A
SERIES MULTIMEDIA
Live Stats: BaylorBears.com
Audio: BaylorBears.com
Video: BaylorBears.com
Twitter Updates: @BaylorBaseball
BAYLOR BEARS
2016 Record: 24-29
2016 Big 12 Record: 10-14 (6th)
Head Coach: Steve Rodriguez
Career: 310-327 (14th season)
BU: 24-29 (2nd season)
NIAGARA PURPLE EAGLES
BA NR USA NR CB NR NCBWA NR D1 NR
2016 Record: 16-37-1
2016 MAAC Record: 11-13 (7th)
Head Coach: Rob McCoy
Career: 129-278-3 (9th season)
NU: 129-278-3 (9th season)
NEVADA WOLF PACK
BA NR USA NR CB NR NCBWA NR D1 NR
2016 Record: 37-24
2016 MWC Record: 20-10 (2nd)
Head Coach: T.J. Bruce
Career: 37-24 (2nd season)
UN: 37-24 (2nd season)
TEAM QUICK NOTES
*Baylor & Niagara and BU & Nevada have never met before.
*Baylor is 72-24 all-time in home openers, has won 4 of last 5 and 9 of last 11.
*Baylor is 60-34 all-time in season openers and has won 2 of last 3.
*Baylor returns 15 letterwinners after losing 14.
*Baylor returns 8 position starters after losing 2.
*Baylor returns 1 starting pitcher after losing 2.
*Baylor welcomes 21 newcomers to the 2017 team.
*Baylor’s key returners include 2nd-team 2017 Collegiate Baseball and NCBWA third-team Preseason All-American RHP Troy Montemayor and 2016 All-Big 12 honorees IF Steven McLean, OF/1B Kameron Esthay & C Matt Menard.
*Montemayor was 1 of 60 & 1 of 3 from Big 12 named to NCBWA 2017 Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List.
*Baylor faces a challenging 53-game schedule that features 10 2016 NCAA Tournament participants among 24 opponents -- only 7 finished under .500 last season and the 24 foes combined to go 827-636-23(.565) in 2016.
*Baylor’s schedule is home heavy as the Bears have 31 of their 53 games at Baylor Ballpark, including 8 of its first 9 games and 19 of the first 24 games. BU doesn’t leave the state of Texas in its first 25 games – the Bears have just 9 games outside of Texas all season. Conversely, 16 of Baylor’s final 28 contests are on the road.
*Baylor was chosen 7th in Big 12 Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
*Baylor’s 2016 team posted 10 wins in Big 12 play for first time since 2013 in Coach Rodriguez’s first year en route to extending streak to 20 straight Big 12 Championship appearances (tied for longest streak with Oklahoma, both have qualified for all 20 Big 12 Championship events).
*Baylor’s 2016 squad hit 30 or more home runs for the first time since 2012 with help from switch in strength & conditioning program.
*Baylor has finished its home schedule with a .500 record or better (16-16 in 2016) in all 18 seasons at Baylor Ballpark (since 1999).
*Baylor signed 9 players to NLIs in November to add depth to the 2018 roster.
