Big 12 Notebook: March 7, 2025

Weekly Awards

Big 12 Players of the Week

Player: Maximus Martin, Kansas State

Pitcher: Harrison Bodendorf, Oklahoma State & Griffin Kirn, West Virginia

Newcomer: Tommy Barth, Kansas

League Notes

Arizona

Maddox Mihalakis enters the weekend with Arizona’s longest active hit streak at eight games. Over those eight games, Mihalakis has hit .355 with six runs scored, three doubles, one triple, and four walks. Brendan Summerhill has reached base safely in all 11 games this season for the Wildcats and currently sports a .434 OBP. Mihalakis (9) and Easton Breyfogle (8) also have active on-base streaks for Arizona.

Arizona State

The Sun Devils are 9-4 entering this weekend. Arizona State’s pitching staff recorded 37 strikeouts against Minnesota in three games last weekend, it was the highest total strikeouts in a 2025 series to date. Batting in the lead off spot for the first time, Kien Vu went 3-4 with 3 RBI in Tuesday’s midweek win for the Sun Devils. Vu doubled and scored in the first inning, then hit home runs in back-to-back at-bats, his third career multi-home run game.

Baylor

The Bears begin the weekend 9-3 this season. Much of their early success is due to their pitching. The Baylor bullpen has allowed just 15 earned runs in 55 total innings of relief, an ERA of 2.45. Baylor's 2.97 team ERA ranks 16th in the nation and their 1.05 team WHIP ranks 6th in the nation. Bears pitchers have walked just 32 batters in 106 innings (2.72 BB/9,) which ranks 5th in the nation.

BYU

BYU returns to Provo this weekend with a 7-4 record having played 11 road games over 16 days in California and Washington. Cooper Vest has continued his great offensive start to the season. Last weekend Vest hit .500 including three doubles, a triple, and a home run. The reigning Big 12 Co-Player of the Week scored six runs and added eight RBI.

Cincinnati

Cincinnati is 6-6 entering this weekend’s series and is coming off a 7-5 win against Toledo in its home opener on Tuesday. The top of the lineup did its part in the victory, as each of the first four batters in the order had multi-hit efforts. Senior Tommy O’Connor and junior Landyn Vidourek homered as well, going back-to-back in the third inning. Vidourek also stole two bases against the Rockets and is 9-for-9 stealing this year. He leads all Big 12 players in stolen bases.

Houston

Xavier Perez became the first Houston hitter since 2008 to drive in eight runs in one game Wednesday night at Rice. Perez was 4-for-5 with three doubles and a home run. The eight RBI by Perez is fourth-most by any player in Division-I this season. Left-hander Antoine Jean struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings of one-hit relief on Tuesday. Jean has struck out 19 batters in 12 innings pitched. Jean ranks 11th nationally in hits allowed per nine innings pitched (2.87).

Kansas

The Jayhawks are currently leading the Big 12 with 8.9 runs per game and 69 walks on the season. Tommy Barth was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week. Barth hit .500 with a double, three home runs, seven RBI, four walks, a stolen base, and a 1.980 OPS in four games last week. Barth hit a home run in three consecutive games, twice hitting the second of back-to-back home runs.

Kansas State

The Wildcats are 6-5 after playing all 11 of their games away from home. Kansas State will play its first home series of the season this weekend. Maximus Martin, a transfer from Georgia State, went 6-for-12 with a 1.404 OPS last weekend to earn Big 12 Player of the Week honors.

Oklahoma State

The Cowboys enter the weekend with a .467 slugging percentage. Colin Brueggemann leads Oklahoma State with a .388 batting average and has hit safely in the last 11 games. The Oklahoma State pitching staff has a 3.26 ERA and leads the Big 12 in strikeouts per nine innings at 11.3.

TCU

Sam Myers has reached safely in 29 straight games dating back to last season. TCU pitching received what should be a big boost as Kole Klecker made his 2025 debut on Wednesday. Blake Rogers also made his return to the mound for the Horned Frogs, after 732 days since his last appearance.

Texas Tech

Texas Tech opens the weekend with five players batting at least .300. That group is led by Co-Big 12 Home Run leader TJ Pompey batting .444. Robin Villeneuve at .395 is followed by Damian Bravo who is batting .362 and has recorded a hit in every game for the Red Raiders. Kyeler Thompson rounds out the five Texas Tech stars at .311.

UCF

UCF begins the weekend 9-3 and features nine players hitting .300 or better: Edian Espinal (.519), Aris Rivera (.400), DeAmez Ross (.373), Chase Krewson (.361), Andrew Williamson (.354), Lex Boedicker (.341), Braden Calise (.326), Antonio Jimenez (.308), and Dylan King (.300). Over their last three games, the Knights have outscored their opponents 37-6 and out-hit them 41-18. Espinal is leading UCF during that stretch by batting .600 as well as boasting an impressive 2.014 OPS.

Utah

Utah is 10-2 this season. The Utes are hitting .325  as a team, which ranks second in the Big 12 and No. 27 in the nation. The Utes offense has been aided by 41 doubles; only Georgia Tech (44) has more in college baseball. Shortstop Core Jackson hit .611 last weekend and was named the Brooks Wallace Player of the Week as the nation's top shortstop.

West Virginia

The Mountaineer pitching staff has a 2.66 ERA, eighth best in the nation and the top mark in the Big 12. Carson Estridge has yet to allow a run in 15 innings while Griffin Kirn is the reigning Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week. Offensively, Jace Rinehart is hitting .435 while Brodie Kresser is just behind him at .425. Ten different Mountaineers have hit a home run this season led by two from Grant Hussey, giving him 39 for his career which continues to push the program record.

Quoted

"Hey guys, the fans are incredible, the energy is amazing, but that doesn't turn the plate into 20 inches wide, it's still 17. You cannot hit a grand slam with no one on base." - Kansas head coach Dan Fitzgerald to his team regarding the lively student section at Jayhawks home games this season.

“Yeah, I don’t think I can give you that message.” UCF head coach Rich Wallace when asked what his message was to his team after a double-digit loss prior to a UCF offensive outburst.

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