By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
Looking for its first series win in conference play, Baylor baseball is set for a three-game series against red-hot No. 23 Arizona, opening at 8 p.m. Friday at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz.
The 23rd-ranked Wildcats (19-5, 5-1) have won 19 of their last 21 games, holding an undefeated 14-0 home record. Head coach Mitch Thompson and the Bears (17-7, 2-4 Big 12) will look to bounce back in conference play against the best team in the Big 12.
“Arizona’s a good club,” Thompson said. “[They] scuffled opening weekend in Arlington — we’ve been there, done that before, against good competition. [They’re a ] really offensive club, got some big arms. Obviously, they’ll be a challenge. Tucson should be rocking pretty good. I think they draw pretty good out there. So, we’ll have our hands full, but we’re looking forward to going out there and competing.”
After dropping the Friday and Saturday affairs of the first two Big 12 series against Kansas and Kansas State, Baylor salvaged both, scoring a combined 28 runs on Sunday’s series finale. In comparison, the Bears have been outscored 45-14 in the first two games of conference series’.
“The last two weeks, we’ve been punched in the mouth on Friday and Saturday, and I mean, literally, punched in the gut and beaten up,” Thompson said. “It’s been great to see that we show back up on Sunday, and it’s a whole ‘nother day, and we’re ready to compete. And what it usually means is, whoever’s out there on that little circle in the middle of the field is giving you an opportunity. And that’s the thing that we just have to have from our starting pitching.”
Baylor’s 13 straight games started by left-handed pitchers, something Thompson guaranteed was a program record, may come to a close this weekend. Left-handed pitchers junior Ethan Calder and freshman Carson Bailey will stick in their rotation spots on Friday and Sunday, respectively. However, Thompson said the starter on Saturday is still to be determined after senior left-handed pitcher Bryson Bales appeared in relief on Tuesday.
“Starting pitching doesn’t have to go out and win the game, they just can’t go out and lose it,” Thompson said. “Guys get it, they understand. So, they’re working at it, and we’ll get better at it, I promise. We’ll start winning some games on Friday and Saturday, too.”
Redshirt senior right fielder Enzo Apodaca, a Scottsdale, Ariz. native, has reached base in all but two games in 2025 and feels a road trip to his home state provides a good opportunity to showcase conference improvement.
“I think this weekend we were just a little disconnected, pitching and hitting-wise. But that happens; it’s baseball,” Apodaca said. “We can’t be good every game. But we’re looking forward to going down to Tucson, to Arizona, to take the series there against a great program, great ballclub.”
Former Bear Collin McKinney anchors the Wildcats’ rotation as the Friday starter. The redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher transferred to Arizona prior to the 2025 season and has excelled in his new location. Boosting his 2024 numbers with the green and gold (3-6, 6.70 ERA, 60 K, 35 BB), McKinney holds a 1-0 record and leads the Big 12 with a 1.40 earned run average, allowing just four earned runs across 25.2 innings with 27 strikeouts and 15 walks.
Behind McKinney’s breakout, landing him on the MLB Draft radar, Arizona’s pitching staff sits third in the Big 12 in ERA (3.87) and has only allowed more than four runs once in its last 13 contests. Playing in a pitcher-friendly ballpark, the Wildcats have allowed the fewest home runs in the conference (11) while walking the second-fewest batters (78).
“We’re focused on what we want to accomplish,” junior outfielder Caleb Bergman said. “I think that’s the only thing you can do … If a guy on the mound isn’t performing how they need to, then the guys at the plate are going to pick him up, and vice versa. That’s the way to keep going and keep winning games from here on out.”
The first pitch for game one is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, and games two and three are scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz.
