By DJ Ramirez | Sports Writer
Baylor baseball shutout Stephen F. Austin 10-0 in a midweek game Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark.
After a rough series loss to Texas Tech in Lubbock over the weekend, the Bears were glad to come home and face a new opponent.
Junior catcher Shea Langeliers was named player of the game after extending Baylor’s lead in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out, three-run moonshot over left field. Langeliers went 3-for-4 with four RBIs on the night. The backstop said that it was all about the execution.
“When it comes down to it it’s all about executing,” Langeliers said. “I had Andy [Thomas] on second two times with nobody out, so all I was trying to do was hit a ground ball the other way and it worked out. Got myself in a good hitters count and took advantage.”
Junior designated hitter Andy Thomas also had a stellar night at the plate, going 4-for-4 with three runs, an RBI and two doubles. Thomas said once the offense gets rolling, it becomes a competition to see who can get the next hit.
Freshman righty Blake Helton got the win and the start on the mound after a tough loss in the rubber match against the Red Raiders. Helton threw three innings Tuesday night against the Lumberjacks, allowing only one hit. The freshman threw 22 strikes out of 40 pitches, which, according to Thomas, is all he needs to keep doing to help the Bears out.
“He’s doing great. He had a tough little outing out in Lubbock but that happens to everybody at that age, so he’ll be fine. As long he keeps throwing those strikes he’s going to be really good for us,” Thomas said.
The Bears scored a run in each of the first three innings. Senior left fielder Cole Haring put Baylor on the board when Thomas drove him in on a single. In the second inning, Haring drove in freshman first baseman Chase Wehsener on two-outs and in the third, an RBI single by sophomore right fielder Davion Downey brought in Thomas for run number three.
Sophomore lefty Tyler Thomas took over for Helton in the fourth, pitching two hitless innings and striking out three of the six batters he faced. Redshirt sophomore Daniel Caruso closed it out, allowing only two hits and striking out two.
Just an inning before his massive home run doubled Baylor’s lead, Langeliers drove Thomas home in the bottom of the fifth for run number four and then ended the top of the sixth by throwing out his 11th base runner of the year.
After Langeliers’ home run in the sixth, junior third baseman Davis Wendzel hit a high infield pop up that the SFA infielders allowed to drop for Wehsener and senior center fielder Richard Cunningham to reach home.
Per the run rule, the game ended in the seventh inning, leaving Baylor with the victory.
The Bears will head to Fort Worth this weekend to face Texas Christian University for another conference matchup on Friday and then return for a four-game homestand next week.
