By Max Calderone | Sports Writer
The Baylor baseball team was unable to grab a victory this weekend on the road at Oklahoma, being swept for the first time in a three-game series this season.
After losing the series opener on Thursday, the Bears dropped a back-and-forth contest in Friday’s game two, falling 5-4 in 10 innings. On Saturday, Baylor (13-12, 3-6) couldn’t muster much offense as Oklahoma (20-10, 6-0) defeated the Bears 6-1.
Baylor got on the board first in Friday’s game thanks to an RBI single by junior second baseman Josh Bissonette in the top of the second inning. The Sooners answered back in the bottom of the third, putting up a three-spot on Baylor’s starter, junior right-hander Hayden Kettler.
Oklahoma’s sophomore shortstop Brandon Zaragoza had the big hit, a two-run double that put the Sooners ahead 3-1, but the Bears came right back to even the score in the top of the fourth inning with solo home runs by sophomore catcher Shea Langeliers and junior center fielder Cole Haring.
Oklahoma tacked on one more in the bottom half of the fourth, an RBI single by freshman first baseman Cade Cavalli that put the Sooners back up 4-3. No more runs were scored until the top of the eighth inning, when Haring knocked in senior pinch-runner Levi Gilcrease to tie the game once again.
Baylor brought on its senior closer Troy Montemayor who escaped a two-on and one out jam in the bottom of the eighth. He got Oklahoma’s junior third baseman Brylie Ware to pop out in foul ground and struck out senior second baseman Kyle Mendenhall to send it to the ninth tied 4-4.
After both teams were unable to scratch across a run, the game entered extra innings where Oklahoma was able to walk it off following an RBI ground-rule double by sophomore catcher Brady Lindsly.
Montemayor got hit with his first loss of the season after throwing 2 1/3 innings and giving up just one run – the game winner. Kettler took a no decision following a seven-strikeout performance over 6 2/3 innings.
On Saturday, sophomore righty Jacob Ashkinos got his first start as part of the weekend rotation for the Bears, but ran into early trouble giving up runs in both the first and second inning.
Lindsly had the RBI double that opened the scoring in game three and then freshman designated hitter Tyler Hardman drove in Mendenhall with another double to give the Sooners a 2-1 lead through two innings.
Baylor scored its only run of the ballgame in the top of the second, as senior shortstop Tucker Cascadden brought home Langeliers with a single up the middle.
Ashkinos was roughed up in the fourth inning, allowing two two-run homers to Cavalli and junior right fielder Steele Walker, which put Oklahoma ahead 6-1.
That’s how the game would finish as the Baylor bullpen made up of sophomore lefty Ryan Leckich, senior right-hander Alex Phillips and senior righty Drew Robertson combined for 4 1/3 innings of scoreless ball.
The Sooners’ duo of sophomore right-handed starter Nathan Wiles and junior righty Dylan Grove held the Bears to just six hits, two of which came off the bat of Cascadden, who had the lone RBI for Baylor.
The Bears will return home to Baylor Ballpark for two midweek games against Texas State and Lamar, each scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
