Friday, February 23
Waco, Texas
7:30 PM
Indiana University
at
Baylor
Baseball Central: Baylor
2/22/2024 9:00:00 AM | Baseball
WACO, Texas – Riding a three-game winning streak entering the weekend, the Indiana Baseball team (3-1) will head to Waco for a three-game series against Baylor at Baylor Ballpark.
Meeting for the first time in program history, IU will head into the matchups ranked No. 23 by D1 Baseball and No. 22 by Baseball America. It marks the second-straight season playing a true road series against a Big 12 opponent. The Hoosiers met another Big 12 foe, West Virginia, in last year's NCAA Tournament.
Sophomore pitchers Brayden Risedorph and Connor Foley will keep their spots as the Friday and Saturday starters after productive opening weekend starts. Foley was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for his efforts in beating No. 18 Coastal Carolina.
All three games will be broadcasted on Big 12 Now and the ESPN+ app while also available via the Indiana Radio Network. First pitch from Waco is at 7:30 PM EST on Friday evening.
Gameday Info
at Baylor (Friday, February 23rd)
Live Video: t.ly/0wZdR
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: t.ly/OI06f
at Baylor (Saturday, February 24th)
Live Video: t.ly/ZM5rA
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: t.ly/OI06f
at Baylor (Sunday, February 25th)
Live Video: t.ly/cNN0H
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: t.ly/OI06f
Probable Starters
#23 Indiana at Baylor - Friday
• Brayden Risedorph (0-1, 1.93 ERA) vs. Mason Marriott (0-0, 1.59 ERA)
#23 Indiana at Baylor - Saturday
• Connor Foley (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Collin McKinney (0-0, 6.23 ERA)
#23 Indiana at Baylor - Sunday
• TBD vs. TBD
Notable
Weekend Recap
• Indiana was outstanding in the Baseball at the Beach event, winning two games on opening weekend for the first time since 2019. The Hoosiers lost a close contest to No. 12 Duke on Friday afternoon before coming back to beat No. 18 Coastal Carolina (7-2) and George Mason (9-3) on consecutive days.
• IU's win over the Chanticleers was the first ranked victory in the regular season for the Hoosiers since beating No. 10 Louisville at Bart Kaufman Field last April. It also improved IU's all-time record against Coastal Carolina to 4-1.
Back in the Top 25
• The Hoosiers entered D1Baseball's top-25 poll (23) for the first time since May of 2021. Baseball America had Jeff Mercer's group at No. 22. IU will continue to face a challenging schedule in the coming weeks with contests against Baylor (three-game set), Alabama, Dallas Baptist, Arizona and Troy (three-game set).
Sophomore Standouts
• Sophomores Devin Taylor and Tyler Cerny picked up right where they left off last season, tearing the cover off the ball on opening weekend. After IU's midweek win over Miami (Ohio), the two are combining to hit .500 (18-36) with two doubles, nine RBIs and six runs.
Starting Pitching Dominates
• Faced with questions after losing ace Luke Sinnard to a season-ending injury in June, IU's starting pitching met the challenge on opening weekend. Sophomores Brayden Risedorph (Friday), Connor Foley (Saturday) and Ethan Phillips (Sunday) combined for 12.1 innings of action and just three runs allowed against quality opposition.
Fresh Faces Shine
• Freshmen Andrew Wiggins, Joey Brenczewski and AJ Shepard all collected their first hits of the weekend while Cal Sefcik and Hayden Carlson made collegiate debuts. Before being injured Sunday, Shepard hit a pair of two-run home runs on the weekend.
• Brenczewski and Wiggins each made their first career starts against Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday and combined to drive in three runs.
Clutch out of the Bullpen
• Sixth-year senior Ty Bothwell and junior pitcher Julian Tonghini both pitched outstanding when called upon in relief. Bothwell threw five innings and allowed just two runs to earn the win against Coastal Carolina while Tonghini worked three scoreless innings to record a save against George Mason.
Bombs Away
• Known for outstanding power in the lineup, IU put together seven home runs on opening weekend including a pair of 400-plus foot blasts from junior Carter Mathison. He and Shepard both hit two while Cerny, Brandon Burckel and Morgan Colopy all got in on the action.
• Josh Pyne hit a 402-foot three-run home run in the midweek, IU's third 400-foot long ball of the young campaign.
Veteran Group in the Field
• The Hoosiers will field an expected lineup this season filled with five guys who are entering their third season as fulltime starters. Josh Pyne, Brock Tibbitts and Carter Mathison have been everyday starters for IU the last two years while Nick Mitchell (Western Illinois) and Brandon Burckel (Houston) have transferred in having started two seasons at their previous stops.
Impact Freshman Class
• D1 Baseball ranked IU's incoming freshman class No. 20 in the nation with only players that signed and made it to campus considered for the list.
• Among the players mentioned by D1 Baseball included outfielder Andrew Wiggins (Indianapolis, Ind.), infielders Cal Sefcik (Palos Heights, Ill.) and Jasen Oliver (Almont, Mich.) and pitcher Ryan Rushing (Bradenton, Fla.).
Notes to Know
• The Hoosiers have been successful in seasons they've played a true road series at a Big 12 ballpark. IU played a four-game set at Texas Tech (1-3) in 2014 and then went to Austin to play three (1-2) with the Longhorns in 2023. Each year, both programs made at least the NCAA Regional.
• Junior third baseman Josh Pyne needs just 44 more hits to join the 200-hit club at IU. He needs 79 more to crack the program's all-time top-10 list.
• Junior outfielder Carter Mathison sits on 31 career home runs, needing five more to move into the program's all-time top-10 list. Only six Hoosiers have ever reached 40. The all-time mark is 47 held by three players (Alex Dickerson, Mike Smith and Mike Sabo).
Scouting the Opponent
Baylor (1-3, 0-0)
• The Bears opened their season with a tough three-game set at the Shriners Children's College Showdown against Nebraska, Oregon and Tennessee. Baylor lost two of the games by three runs before being beat by No. 5 Tennessee 11-5 on Sunday.
• Baylor got its first won of the season on Tuesday, beating Lamar 11-5 in the program's home opener. Senior outfielder Hunter Simmons hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first, opening a comfortable lead early. Drew Leach was awarded the win for the home team.
• Enzo Apodaca helps carry the load offensively for the Bears. He is hitting .438 (7-16) on the young season and has a triple, one home run and four RBIs to his name. Starting pitcher Mason Marriott, who will feature Friday, went 5.2 innings and allowed just one run against Nebraska in the season opener.
Inside the Series
Indiana vs. Baylor
• The two programs will meet for the first time.
Meeting for the first time in program history, IU will head into the matchups ranked No. 23 by D1 Baseball and No. 22 by Baseball America. It marks the second-straight season playing a true road series against a Big 12 opponent. The Hoosiers met another Big 12 foe, West Virginia, in last year's NCAA Tournament.
Sophomore pitchers Brayden Risedorph and Connor Foley will keep their spots as the Friday and Saturday starters after productive opening weekend starts. Foley was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for his efforts in beating No. 18 Coastal Carolina.
All three games will be broadcasted on Big 12 Now and the ESPN+ app while also available via the Indiana Radio Network. First pitch from Waco is at 7:30 PM EST on Friday evening.
Gameday Info
at Baylor (Friday, February 23rd)
Live Video: t.ly/0wZdR
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: t.ly/OI06f
at Baylor (Saturday, February 24th)
Live Video: t.ly/ZM5rA
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: t.ly/OI06f
at Baylor (Sunday, February 25th)
Live Video: t.ly/cNN0H
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: t.ly/OI06f
Probable Starters
#23 Indiana at Baylor - Friday
• Brayden Risedorph (0-1, 1.93 ERA) vs. Mason Marriott (0-0, 1.59 ERA)
#23 Indiana at Baylor - Saturday
• Connor Foley (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Collin McKinney (0-0, 6.23 ERA)
#23 Indiana at Baylor - Sunday
• TBD vs. TBD
Notable
Weekend Recap
• Indiana was outstanding in the Baseball at the Beach event, winning two games on opening weekend for the first time since 2019. The Hoosiers lost a close contest to No. 12 Duke on Friday afternoon before coming back to beat No. 18 Coastal Carolina (7-2) and George Mason (9-3) on consecutive days.
• IU's win over the Chanticleers was the first ranked victory in the regular season for the Hoosiers since beating No. 10 Louisville at Bart Kaufman Field last April. It also improved IU's all-time record against Coastal Carolina to 4-1.
Back in the Top 25
• The Hoosiers entered D1Baseball's top-25 poll (23) for the first time since May of 2021. Baseball America had Jeff Mercer's group at No. 22. IU will continue to face a challenging schedule in the coming weeks with contests against Baylor (three-game set), Alabama, Dallas Baptist, Arizona and Troy (three-game set).
Sophomore Standouts
• Sophomores Devin Taylor and Tyler Cerny picked up right where they left off last season, tearing the cover off the ball on opening weekend. After IU's midweek win over Miami (Ohio), the two are combining to hit .500 (18-36) with two doubles, nine RBIs and six runs.
Starting Pitching Dominates
• Faced with questions after losing ace Luke Sinnard to a season-ending injury in June, IU's starting pitching met the challenge on opening weekend. Sophomores Brayden Risedorph (Friday), Connor Foley (Saturday) and Ethan Phillips (Sunday) combined for 12.1 innings of action and just three runs allowed against quality opposition.
Fresh Faces Shine
• Freshmen Andrew Wiggins, Joey Brenczewski and AJ Shepard all collected their first hits of the weekend while Cal Sefcik and Hayden Carlson made collegiate debuts. Before being injured Sunday, Shepard hit a pair of two-run home runs on the weekend.
• Brenczewski and Wiggins each made their first career starts against Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday and combined to drive in three runs.
Clutch out of the Bullpen
• Sixth-year senior Ty Bothwell and junior pitcher Julian Tonghini both pitched outstanding when called upon in relief. Bothwell threw five innings and allowed just two runs to earn the win against Coastal Carolina while Tonghini worked three scoreless innings to record a save against George Mason.
Bombs Away
• Known for outstanding power in the lineup, IU put together seven home runs on opening weekend including a pair of 400-plus foot blasts from junior Carter Mathison. He and Shepard both hit two while Cerny, Brandon Burckel and Morgan Colopy all got in on the action.
• Josh Pyne hit a 402-foot three-run home run in the midweek, IU's third 400-foot long ball of the young campaign.
Veteran Group in the Field
• The Hoosiers will field an expected lineup this season filled with five guys who are entering their third season as fulltime starters. Josh Pyne, Brock Tibbitts and Carter Mathison have been everyday starters for IU the last two years while Nick Mitchell (Western Illinois) and Brandon Burckel (Houston) have transferred in having started two seasons at their previous stops.
Impact Freshman Class
• D1 Baseball ranked IU's incoming freshman class No. 20 in the nation with only players that signed and made it to campus considered for the list.
• Among the players mentioned by D1 Baseball included outfielder Andrew Wiggins (Indianapolis, Ind.), infielders Cal Sefcik (Palos Heights, Ill.) and Jasen Oliver (Almont, Mich.) and pitcher Ryan Rushing (Bradenton, Fla.).
Notes to Know
• The Hoosiers have been successful in seasons they've played a true road series at a Big 12 ballpark. IU played a four-game set at Texas Tech (1-3) in 2014 and then went to Austin to play three (1-2) with the Longhorns in 2023. Each year, both programs made at least the NCAA Regional.
• Junior third baseman Josh Pyne needs just 44 more hits to join the 200-hit club at IU. He needs 79 more to crack the program's all-time top-10 list.
• Junior outfielder Carter Mathison sits on 31 career home runs, needing five more to move into the program's all-time top-10 list. Only six Hoosiers have ever reached 40. The all-time mark is 47 held by three players (Alex Dickerson, Mike Smith and Mike Sabo).
Scouting the Opponent
Baylor (1-3, 0-0)
• The Bears opened their season with a tough three-game set at the Shriners Children's College Showdown against Nebraska, Oregon and Tennessee. Baylor lost two of the games by three runs before being beat by No. 5 Tennessee 11-5 on Sunday.
• Baylor got its first won of the season on Tuesday, beating Lamar 11-5 in the program's home opener. Senior outfielder Hunter Simmons hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first, opening a comfortable lead early. Drew Leach was awarded the win for the home team.
• Enzo Apodaca helps carry the load offensively for the Bears. He is hitting .438 (7-16) on the young season and has a triple, one home run and four RBIs to his name. Starting pitcher Mason Marriott, who will feature Friday, went 5.2 innings and allowed just one run against Nebraska in the season opener.
Inside the Series
Indiana vs. Baylor
• The two programs will meet for the first time.
Players Mentioned
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