Big 12 Baseball Weekend Preview

Here's your Big 12 baseball weekend preview.

• Baylor at Missouri

Missouri was picked to finish second in the conference, Baylor third. So far this season, Missouri has feasted on cupcakes while Baylor has already taken a series from Oklahoma State and swept Mississippi State at Starkville.

Friday's match up has Baylor RHP Kendal Volz (3-0, 2.51 ERA) going against Mizzou's Aaron Crow. Saturday's features last week's Big 12 pitcher of the week Bear RHP Shawn Tolleson  (2-0, 4.43 ERA) against Tiger RHP (2-0, .39 ERA).

If there's a better series in the nation this weekend, I don't know where that would be. (Okay, maybe the Long Beach State Dirtbags vs UCLA, but I'd still argue the point.)

• Texas at Texas Tech

This series has already started, with Texas blasting the Red Raiders Thursday, 22-6.

Texas was picked as pre-season favorites to win the conference, Texas Tech last. If Tech can't keep from being swept this weekend, they're most likely already out of running for anything meaningful this season.

• Texas A&M at Oklahoma State

Both of these teams were picked to finish above Nebraska in conference. This series boils down to Aggie pitching versus the Cowboys' big bats, as Texas A&M leads the Big 12 with an overall ERA of 2.73, while the Cowboys lead in team batting average at .342. Clearly, something's got to give.

• Nebraska vs Oklahoma

The Sooners start Big 12 series play in Lincoln. This is one of those series where the Huskers need to maintain the early-season momentum they've established, and keep themselves within striking distance of the top four in conference. It's a series Nebraska needs to win, and that is not a given.

Oklahoma comes in third (in the Big 12) in team batting at .316, and third at team pitching at 3.15 ERA. The Huskers are sixth in team batting at .300, second in team pitching at 2.89.

• Kansas is in Bradenton, FL playing in the Florida Spring Classic. No conference games for them this week, but a lot of baseball against teams they should be beating, Dartmouth, Central Connecticut State, Ohio State, Northwestern, Illinois, and University of Maryland-Baltimore County, which I think might be a prison team.

Kansas has already lost to Illinois, but beaten Central Connecticut State and Dartmouth.

• Kansas State playing Binghamton at home. I've never heard of Binghamton before this series. Do I need to say any more about it?