By Ben Everett | Sports Writer
Baylor baseball picked up a series win over No. 8 Texas Tech over the weekend powered by a 12-2 victory on Saturday.
Sophomore pitcher Hayden Kettler pitched two scoreless innings before giving up a run on two walks in a single in the top of the third inning as Texas Tech took a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, freshman outfielder Davion Downey scored on a two-out double by sophomore third baseman Davis Wendzel to tie the game up.
Senior shortstop Tucker Cascadden gave the Bears a 2-1 lead after a fielder’s choice error by the Red Raiders in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Wendzel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score another run before sophomore first baseman Andy Thomas knocked in a two-run single to give Baylor a 5-1 lead in the sixth inning.
The Bears added one more run in the seventh inning before a lightning delay postponed play for almost two hours.
Freshman catcher Shea Langeliers launched a two-run single and four more Bears hit RBI singles in the seventh inning as Baylor pushed their lead to 12-1.
The Red Raiders tacked on a run in the eighth inning, but nothing more as Baylor took the series clincher 12-2.
Kettler finished with 5.2 innings pitched and three strikeouts while allowing just one run and three hits.
Kettler said the Bears knew it was a big series and wanted to make a name for themselves.
“I think it shows what we’re capable of,” Kettler said. “These are the kinds of series you need to win to make a regional. I think our team is well aware of that, and we came out ready to go.”
On Sunday, the Bears fell in the final game of the series, 11-4.
Freshman pitcher Tyler Thomas took the mound and gave up two runs in the first frame, but Langeliers tied the game up in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer.
A home run by junior second baseman Josh Bissonette put the Bears up 3-2 in the bottom of the second inning.
The Red Raiders tied the game up in the top of the third inning on two walks and a single.
Texas Tech’s offense exploded in the fourth inning for five runs capped off by a two-run homer to take an 8-3 lead.
Cascadden provided an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to cut into the lead, but the Bears gave up three more runs the rest of the way as the Red Raiders picked up the 11-4 win.
Baylor head coach Steve Rodriguez said the series win is huge because Texas Tech is an elite team.
“Texas Tech, by far, is one of the best teams we’ll play this year,” Rodriguez said. “We just need to make sure we worry about ourselves, make sure we play good baseball, execute the way we have offensively and continue to pitch like that, and I like our chances against anybody.”
The Bears face Dallas Baptist at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Dallas.
