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Baylor Bears baseball
The Baylor Bears baseball team represents Baylor University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team belongs to the Big 12 Conference and plays home games at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears are currently led by head coach Mitch Thompson, who was hired in 2022
Baylor first fielded a baseball team in 1902 as Baylor's second varsity sport. Pitcher Ted Lyons was a player on Baylor's Southwest Conference (SWC) Championship team in 1923. He would go on to be enshrined in Cooperstown after an outstanding career with the Chicago White Sox. Baylor did not field a baseball team from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. However, Baylor appeared in its first NCAA tournament in 1948 in only its third year of play after the war.
Baylor returned to the NCAA tournament in 1977, led by legendary Baylor head coach Mickey Sullivan, and advanced to the College World Series for Baylor's first appearance in Omaha. Baylor lost both of its games in the 1977 College World Series, one game each to South Carolina and Minnesota. Baylor concluded the 1977 season ranked #7 nationally by Collegiate Baseball. In 1978, the Bears returned to the College World Series but lost its only two games again, one game each to Michigan and Miami. Baylor finished the 1978 season ranked #8 nationally by Collegiate Baseball.
Baylor has achieved a season 50-win mark in only one season in its history. This season win total was earned in 1999 under the guidance of former head coach Steve Smith, ending the season with a win–loss record of 50–15. While exiting the national tournament during the Super Regional stage, the Bears ended the season ranked #8 nationally by Baseball America. It was during this 1999 season that Jason Jennings won National Player of the Year. As a pitcher and designated hitter for the Bears in 1999, Jennings also won the Golden Spikes Award, Dick Howser Trophy, Rotary Smith Award, consensus Big 12 Player of the Year and was voted a unanimous All-American. Kelly Shoppach would also earn the unanimous All-American honor as a Baylor catcher in 2001 and consensus Big 12 Player of the Year.
The 2005 Baylor Bears squad was one of the most successful teams in Baylor history. With a strong pitching staff, the squad won the Big 12 Conference and hosted both an NCAA Regional and NCAA Super Regional before advancing to the 2005 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Baylor's 2005 squad would become the first to win a game in Omaha. At the College World Series, the Bears were defeated by the Texas Longhorns in the opening game. However, in back-to-back games, the Bears defeated the Oregon State Beavers and #1 Tulane Green Wave to set a rematch with the Longhorns. Despite leading 3–2 through the 8th inning, the Bears fell 4–3 which ended the season. Despite the loss in Omaha, the Bears were highly rated to end the season. Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, and USA Today, along with several other publications, ranked the Bears #4 in the country to end the year.
In 2012, Baylor went 42–12 and was undefeated at home during conference play in the regular season. The Bears racked up a mid-season 24-game win streak (including an 18–0 start to conference play) which the players attributed to their adoption of a beaver that appeared along the banks of the Brazos River. "Feeding the Beaver" – referring to a player hitting a home-run onto the Brazos riverbank – became a year-long team slogan as the Bears earned the #4 national seed and were selected as regional hosts in the 2012 NCAA Baseball Championship tournament. In the Waco Regional, Baylor lost their first game and then won four straight games to stave off elimination and advance to host the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Super Regional. Big 12 Conference awards were won by Josh Ludy (Player of the Year) and Nathan Orf (Newcomer of the Year), Steve Smith was named Coach of the Year, and 11 Baylor players were named to All-Big 12 teams.
Baylor has reached NCAA postseason play 18 times, including 13 of the last 15 seasons (1998–2012). The Texas Longhorns are Baylor's most played opponent, including 334 matchups through the 2011 season. Baylor has defeated the TCU Horned Frogs more than any other single opponent with 136 all-time wins.
In June 2015, the Bears announced the hiring of former Pepperdine head baseball coach Steve Rodriguez. Following a 24–29 record in the 2016 season, Coach Rodriguez and the Baylor baseball team ended the 2017 season with a record of 34–23, good for fourth overall in the Big 12 and an NCAA postseason appearance.
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Baylor Bears baseball
The Baylor Bears baseball team represents Baylor University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team belongs to the Big 12 Conference and plays home games at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears are currently led by head coach Mitch Thompson, who was hired in 2022
Baylor first fielded a baseball team in 1902 as Baylor's second varsity sport. Pitcher Ted Lyons was a player on Baylor's Southwest Conference (SWC) Championship team in 1923. He would go on to be enshrined in Cooperstown after an outstanding career with the Chicago White Sox. Baylor did not field a baseball team from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. However, Baylor appeared in its first NCAA tournament in 1948 in only its third year of play after the war.
Baylor returned to the NCAA tournament in 1977, led by legendary Baylor head coach Mickey Sullivan, and advanced to the College World Series for Baylor's first appearance in Omaha. Baylor lost both of its games in the 1977 College World Series, one game each to South Carolina and Minnesota. Baylor concluded the 1977 season ranked #7 nationally by Collegiate Baseball. In 1978, the Bears returned to the College World Series but lost its only two games again, one game each to Michigan and Miami. Baylor finished the 1978 season ranked #8 nationally by Collegiate Baseball.
Baylor has achieved a season 50-win mark in only one season in its history. This season win total was earned in 1999 under the guidance of former head coach Steve Smith, ending the season with a win–loss record of 50–15. While exiting the national tournament during the Super Regional stage, the Bears ended the season ranked #8 nationally by Baseball America. It was during this 1999 season that Jason Jennings won National Player of the Year. As a pitcher and designated hitter for the Bears in 1999, Jennings also won the Golden Spikes Award, Dick Howser Trophy, Rotary Smith Award, consensus Big 12 Player of the Year and was voted a unanimous All-American. Kelly Shoppach would also earn the unanimous All-American honor as a Baylor catcher in 2001 and consensus Big 12 Player of the Year.
The 2005 Baylor Bears squad was one of the most successful teams in Baylor history. With a strong pitching staff, the squad won the Big 12 Conference and hosted both an NCAA Regional and NCAA Super Regional before advancing to the 2005 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Baylor's 2005 squad would become the first to win a game in Omaha. At the College World Series, the Bears were defeated by the Texas Longhorns in the opening game. However, in back-to-back games, the Bears defeated the Oregon State Beavers and #1 Tulane Green Wave to set a rematch with the Longhorns. Despite leading 3–2 through the 8th inning, the Bears fell 4–3 which ended the season. Despite the loss in Omaha, the Bears were highly rated to end the season. Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, and USA Today, along with several other publications, ranked the Bears #4 in the country to end the year.
In 2012, Baylor went 42–12 and was undefeated at home during conference play in the regular season. The Bears racked up a mid-season 24-game win streak (including an 18–0 start to conference play) which the players attributed to their adoption of a beaver that appeared along the banks of the Brazos River. "Feeding the Beaver" – referring to a player hitting a home-run onto the Brazos riverbank – became a year-long team slogan as the Bears earned the #4 national seed and were selected as regional hosts in the 2012 NCAA Baseball Championship tournament. In the Waco Regional, Baylor lost their first game and then won four straight games to stave off elimination and advance to host the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Super Regional. Big 12 Conference awards were won by Josh Ludy (Player of the Year) and Nathan Orf (Newcomer of the Year), Steve Smith was named Coach of the Year, and 11 Baylor players were named to All-Big 12 teams.
Baylor has reached NCAA postseason play 18 times, including 13 of the last 15 seasons (1998–2012). The Texas Longhorns are Baylor's most played opponent, including 334 matchups through the 2011 season. Baylor has defeated the TCU Horned Frogs more than any other single opponent with 136 all-time wins.
In June 2015, the Bears announced the hiring of former Pepperdine head baseball coach Steve Rodriguez. Following a 24–29 record in the 2016 season, Coach Rodriguez and the Baylor baseball team ended the 2017 season with a record of 34–23, good for fourth overall in the Big 12 and an NCAA postseason appearance.
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