By Foster Nicholas | Sports Writer
Following a disappointing road trip, Baylor baseball took on the University of Texas at San Antonio looking to get back on track, but one bad inning sent the Bears packing, as they fell 8-3.
Head coach Mitch Thompson and the Bears (2-6) showed signs of growth despite the loss thanks to solid pitching at the start and quality at-bats.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Blake Rogers took the mound for the green and gold Tuesday night in his first start at the Division I level. After the Bears plated a run in the first, Rogers (0-1) threw three strong innings, only giving up one hit and striking out two back-to back-hitters in the third inning.
“I think they’re a good club and for three innings he [Rogers] came out and got right after them and we made plays behind him,” Thompson said.
With freshman infielder Kolby Branch and sophomore infielder Austin Stracener making diving plays, Rogers had the middle of the infield secured behind him. Then, the Bears’ Achilles heel showed up during one bad inning.
Rogers struggled to start out the fourth, as he gave up a single and three doubles while only recording one out. Baylor inserted junior right-handed pitcher Jared Matheson to clean up the damage, but by the end of the frame, the Bears had given up five runs and trailed 5-1. Four of the five runs were credited to Rogers and despite the promising start, he was given the loss.
“We have to keep working,” Thompson said. “We’re going to keep working every day. We can’t keep giving up five and six spots like they’re growing on trees. It’s just too much to try and chase down.”
Baylor was able to sprinkle a few more runs across in the following innings to keep the game close. Branch hit an RBI single in the fifth inning and junior left-handed pitcher and outfielder Kobe Andrade hit his first homerun as a Bear in the sixth inning to cut the UTSA lead to 5-3.
After Andrade’s homerun, he pumped up the fans and tried to hype up the dugout in hopes of starting a rally.
“We don’t have the experience, but we have leadership,” Andrade said. “That’s what I’m trying to do, I want to take on that leadership role. [I want to] get these guys going whether we’re up 20 or down 20. It doesn’t matter.”
The Bears had nothing left in the tank offensively after the sixth inning and gave up a run in the eighth and two more in the ninth to result in the 8-3 final.
“We didn’t pitch as good as they pitched, we didn’t hit as good as they hit, but we didn’t beat ourselves and that’s a positive step for us too,” Thompson said.
The Bears will look to get back in the win column this weekend when they host Youngstown State University for a four-game series at Baylor Ballpark. Game one is at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
