By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
Since welcoming a new rally mascot into the dugout, Baylor baseball hasn’t lost at Baylor Ballpark and will have a chance to keep that streak going with playoff hopes on the line as it opens a seven-game homestand against Arizona State 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Following a brief four-game road trip where they went 2-2, the Bears (28-16, 9-12 Big 12) will settle into their second-longest streak of home games of the year. The opportunity to open the homestand against the burning hot Sun Devils — who have won their last five games and haven’t traveled to Waco since 2006 — has the green and gold excited at the opportunity to compete.
“Every game is big, but whenever you can get seven games at home where you don’t have to travel and you don’t have to ride on a bus, you don’t have to fly on a plane, those are always huge,” junior right-handed pitcher Grayson Murry said. “I think we’re really starting to play our best baseball right now — getting hot at the right time — so, we’re pumped for it.”
Head coach Mitch Thompson’s Bears are pushing for the postseason after missing the Big 12 tournament for the first two times in program history in 2023 and 2024. Baylor currently sits ninth in the conference, needing to finish No. 12 or better to play for a title in Arlington.
“As the season progresses, the weekends get a little more important,” Thompson said. “Typically speaking, you’re playing for championships, you’re playing for Big 12 Conference [tournament] berths, you’re playing for, hopefully, NCAA Tournament berths.”
The Bears, who currently sit in the Next Four Out category for the NCAA Tournament according to College Baseball Central, still have a path to the postseason with three weekends of Big 12 baseball remaining before the conference tournament. On the other hand, Arizona State has won its last five games and is on the right side of the bubble, trying to bolster its resume and push to host a regional.
“We want to get a sweep for sure,” freshman third baseman Pearson Riebock said. “That’s the game plan every week, but we’re going to play one game at a time and hopefully come out with three wins.”
The Sun Devils (30-16, 14-7) sit fourth in the Big 12 in their first year in the conference and lead the league in batting average behind .410 hitting senior infielder Matt King. Senior right-handed pitcher Jack Martinez, who has struck out 92 batters in 62 innings, anchors their pitching staff. Arizona State leads the Big 12 with 504 strikeouts on the mound — 77 more than the next best team.
“Up and down, their numbers are off-the-chart good,” Thompson said. “They’re the best hitting team in the league, clearly. They’ve got the leading hitter in the league. They’ve got the leading strikeout guy in the league on the mound. I think they lead the league in team defense overall games for the season. So, this is a really sound club.”
The Bears will maintain the same lefty-loaded rotation they used against TCU: sophomore Mason Green on Friday, freshman Carson Bailey on Saturday, and junior Ethan Calder on Sunday. While Arizona State leans on high-contact right-handed bats, three everyday starters in the lineup are left-handed hitters.
“Arizona State will give us a heck of a challenge this weekend,” Thompson said. “I’m definitely excited to be here at home. I’m excited for our crowd to be here and have some good weather, hopefully, and to be playing a really good opponent.”
The Bears open their three-game series against the Sun Devils 6:30 p.m. Friday at Baylor Ballpark.