By Greg DeVries
Sports writer
It took 13 innings and nearly four hours, but the No. 21 Baylor Bears earned their 11th win in a row and third Big 12 sweep of the season. The team is now 22-7 and 9-0 in conference play.
“Somebody was going to take a loss today that really played well,” head coach Steve Smith said. “That’s just the way baseball is.”
Oklahoma State struck first in the top of the forth inning. Cowboy first baseman Mark Ginther grounded out to the infield, but allowed the runner to score from third. The next batter, Gabe Weidenaar, hit an RBI sacrifice fly to right field, which allowed another run to come home.
Junior left-handed pitcher Crayton Bare replaced Garner in the top of the sixth inning.
Ginther drove in another run on an RBI single to right field after Baylor’s pitching change to extend Oklahoma State’s lead to 3-0.
Bare was pulled after facing just two batters. He was replaced by senior right-hander Joey Hainsfurther.
Baylor finally got its first hit of the game when junior center fielder Logan Vick shot the pitch back to the mound off of the pitcher’s glove. The next batter, Dan Evatt, singled through to left field, which advanced Vick to third. Junior third baseman then hit a three-run homer over the right field fence to tie the game.
“I felt like I hit him pretty well my second at bat, [I] just lined out to center,” Towey said. “I was just trying to get the ball in the air, get the guy in, and start a rally.”
This marks Towey’s second home run in as many days.
The score remained tied going into the bottom of the ninth inning. The first batter, senior designated hitter Dan Evatt hit the ball high to deep left field. The crowd stood up, anticipating a walk-off home run. The ball had the distance, but hooked just a few feet foul.
Baylor failed to score in the inning, and the game continued into extra innings.
The Bears had a chance to hold Oklahoma State scoreless in the inning, but junior left fielder Nathan Orf dropped a fly ball that would have been the final out of the top of the tenth.
Luckily for the Bears, Hainsfurther forced the next batter to pop out to second base, and the score remained tied going into the bottom of the tenth inning.
Baylor came up empty in the bottom of the tenth inning, and sophomore left-handed pitcher Brad Kuntz replaced Hainsfurther on the mound.
With two outs and a runner on second, Kuntz was called for a balk. This advanced Oklahoma State’s base runner to third. The batter hit a slow roller back to the mound and the Bears escaped the inning with no damage done.
With two outs and runners on the corners, Baylor brought senior right-hander Tyler Bremer in to close the inning out.
Bremer walked the first batter, and the second hit a line drive to center. It looked like the Cowboys would take the lead until Vick made a diving catch to end the top of the twelfth.
After failing to score in the bottom of the inning, Oklahoma State led off with a double. The runner advanced on a wild pitch by Bremer. Cowboy pinch hitter Saulyer Saxon hit an RBI single to break the tie with no outs.
Bremer was pulled with one out in the top of the 13th inning for freshman right-hander Austin Stone. Stone struck out the first batter he faced and forced the next to fly out to deep center field.
Baylor trailed 3-4 going into the bottom of the 13th inning.
To start the bottom of the 13th, Orf reached on a single. Junior first baseman Max Muncy followed with a double down the right field line. Senior catcher Josh Ludy followed with an RBI single that advanced Muncy to third.
The score was 4-4. Vick stepped to the plate with no outs and the winning run on third. Oklahoma State intentionally walked Vick to load the bases for junior pinch-hitter Josh Turley.
Turley singled up the middle to score the winning run for the Bears. The dugout emptied as the Bears celebrated their 11th win in a row.
“I was just looking for a fastball in that situation. That’s what I got,” Turley said. “All around, we’re happy with the result. We fought as a team and this is a big win for us.”
