By Foster Nicholas | Sports Writer, Pierson Luscy | LTVN Reporter
After recording the first two road wins of the year last week, Baylor baseball was overwhelmed coming back home against Tarleton State University, as it fell by a score of 6-2 Tuesday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark.
The Bears’ (15-26, 6-12 Big 12) bats struggled to figure out a formidable Texans (22-16, 6-10 WAC) pitching staff. Baylor struck out 16 times and only recorded six hits on the day.
“It’s disappointing for sure,” head coach Mitch Thompson said. “You take two steps forward, one step back, and today was the day we didn’t show up. Offensively, we just never put it together. We kind of slept-walked through the first four innings.”
Junior right-handed pitcher Jared Matheson started for the Bears. Matheson (0-1) only threw for 2.0 innings and gave up four hits, three walks and two runs. Freshman right-handed pitcher Danny Valadez relieved him in the third inning, and he allowed two hits and a run in his lone inning of work.
Tarleton starter junior right-handed pitcher Piercen McElyea was perfect through three innings and had already recorded six strikeouts. His perfect bid ended in the bottom of the fourth when redshirt freshman outfielder Gavin Brzozowski hit a two-out double.
Baylor junior right-handed pitcher Brett Garcia threw the fourth and fifth inning for the Bears in relief. He allowed three hits, a walk and a run, while striking out a batter in his 2.0 innings of action. Heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Texans led the Bears 4-0.
The only runs for the green and gold came in the bottom of the fifth with two outs. Redshirt freshman infielder Jack Johnson singled up the middle before freshman catcher Walker Polk, who was a designated hitter on Tuesday, cranked his third homer of the year. This one went over the left-center field fence and it cut the Tarleton lead to 4-2.
It was all Texans from there. McElyea’s day was done after the fifth, but in his 5.0 innings of work, he struck out a career-high 10 batters. For the Bears, junior right-handed pitcher Anderson Needham executed 2.0 shutout innings without allowing a hit, run or walk while striking out three.
Needham was relieved in the seventh by freshman left-handed pitcher Ethan Calder. Calder failed to record an out, giving up a hit and walk to the only two batters he faced. Junior right-handed pitcher Adam Muirhead relieved the freshman in the eighth. Both runners he inherited scored and went against Calder.
While the scoring was capped at 6-2, sophomore right-handed pitcher Gabe Craig threw a flawless ninth inning for Baylor. In his only inning, Craig struck out a pair and only gave up one hit.
Thompson said he was pleased with Craig and Needham’s outings.
“We had two guys on the mound who threw the ball well in Anderson Needham and Gabe Craig,” Thompson said. “We continue to ask a lot out of those bullpen guys who are throwing every weekend and throwing on Tuesday’s too, but they did well.”
The green and gold will be back in action Friday against West Virginia University (29-11, 8-4 Big 12) for the final home conference series of the year.
First pitch for game one is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark. Baylor Athletics is allowing fans to stay after Friday’s contest for a firework show.
