By Foster Nicholas | Sports Writer
For the first time in program history, Baylor Baseball headed to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C., to battle it out with Duke University. The Bears were in for a rude awakening as they were swept and outscored 52-7 over the course of three games.
The green and gold were able to get the lead early in every single game, but shaky pitching from the bullpen limited opportunities for the Baylor (2-5) bats to fight back.
Game one Friday afternoon saw fifth-year senior right-handed pitcher Blake Helton take the mound for the Bears.
Helton (0-1) ended up allowing nine earned runs in only 3.2 innings, en route to the loss. The Blue Devils (5-2) then scored 20 unanswered runs to win, 20-1; however, the lone bright spot for the Bears was reliever, junior right-handed pitcher Will Rigney, who threw a scoreless inning in his first appearance back from injury after being sidelined for 10 months.
Head coach Mitch Thompson knew how important it was for Rigney to get back on the mound, and Thompson said Rigney is primed for more success throughout the season
“It was good to get him in when there was no pressure, get his feet wet, and we’ll keep building from here,” Thompson said. “He’s a great kid and I’m really happy for him.”
Baylor looked to get back on track on Saturday with junior left-handed pitcher and outfielder Cam Caley starting. After plating two runs by the end of the third inning, the Bears had the lead. But in the bottom half of the third inning the wheels started coming off as a four-run frame kept the momentum in Duke’s dugout.
The Blue Devils took the game 22-3 after scoring 18 more unanswered runs to close out the day. Caley (0-2) took the loss after giving up four earned runs in 2.1 innings of work.
With the series already clinched for Duke, Baylor looked to take the final game. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Mason Marriot started the game on the mound for the Bears and struck out a career-high seven batters in 4.2 innings. Marriot only gave up three earned runs on the day and exited the ballgame in the middle of a 3-3 tie.
Junior reliever right-handed pitcher Cole Stasio (1-1) entered the game for the Bears and gave up three runs, two of them earned, over the course of 2.1 innings, giving him the loss.
Baylor gave up nine unanswered runs in the Sunday series closer and the green and gold fell 10-3.
“Mason Marriott gave us a really nice start on the mound,” Thompson said. “Cole Stasio was good out of the bullpen, but Duke continued to run good arms out there at us and we struggled with it some. We’re going to have to continue to get better. We either win or we learn, and we’ve definitely got to learn.
“This is not how we want to go through this thing. This is not what we want to see happen ever again. Duke gave us everything to learn from. But I liked our fight and I’m proud of the way the guys fought.”
The Bears will be heading back to Waco for a 14-game homestand that will kick off with a midweek game at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday against the University of Texas at San Antonio at Baylor Ballpark.
