Big 12 Baseball Weekend Preview

Here's your Big 12 baseball weekend preview.

Rankings are from Baseball America. Conference statistical rankings include all games, not just the Big 12.

- #19 Nebraska at #13 Texas

One of the biggest series in the nation this weekend. We're hot hot hot and while Texas hasn't quite lived up to their preseason expectations, they're still Texas. We come in with a 2.68 team ERA, while the Longhorns are at 3.97. They're hitting better, though, at .326, while we're at .294.

Friday's game was scheduled to start at 6:00, but has been moved to 3:00 pm to accommodate Texas being in the NCAA basketball tourney. Saturday's game will be televised on FSN (FSN Midwest, FSN Southwest and FSN Rocky Mountain) at 6:00 pm. Sunday the series finale will start at 1:00 pm.

• #20 Baylor at Oklahoma

Baylor can't seem to win on the road, having lost their last five conference road games. They had a hard time holding off TAMU-Corpus Christi midweek, winning 11-8. The Bears are ninth in Big 12 team batting average at .277 and pitching at 4.43 ERA.

It's the conference home opener for Oklahoma, they're ranked third in team batting at .314, and pitching at 3.25. Baylor was picked at the top of the Big 12, they need to win this series to keep from falling into the second tier teams where they'll have to battle for post-season play.

• Texas A&M at Kansas

JQ has a great preview up at Rock Chalk Talk - rather than me going on about it, check it out. Both teams badly need this series.

• #2 Missouri at Texas Tech

Missouri moved up to #2 this week after crushing Baylor last weekend. They had won 14 straight until losing to Minnesota 12-5 in Minneapolis earlier this week. Missouri's defense is top in the Big 12, and while their pitching is ranked fourth at 3.30, they have pure stars in the pitching rotation.

Texas Tech seems lost, and will be lucky if they're not swept even at home. They're dead last in team pitching at 5.79 ERA and Missouri doesn't need a lot of runs to win every game.

• Oklahoma State at Kansas State

Big 12 batting average leader Oklahoma State against the Wildcats, who are ninth-ranked in fielding and seventh-ranking in pitching. Kansas State is another team that looks to be out of the running for already. Oklahoma State isn't quite in the position that Baylor is (OSU is 3-3, Baylor 2-4 in conference) but they should take this series, otherwise they will be.