By Foster Nicholas | Sports Writer
Behind six different pitchers who combined to allow just one earned run on seven hits and forfeit zero walks, Baylor baseball won its ninth game in the last 10 games as it took down UT Arlington 3-1 on Tuesday at Clay Gould Ballpark in Arlington.
In senior Jared Matheson’s return to a starting role, the right-handed pitcher went 2 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out three batters. The Bears then turned to freshman left-handed pitcher RJ Ruais and redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Tanner Duke, who each allowed one hit in 1 1/3 and 1.0 scoreless innings, respectively.
“This ballgame was totally won by our pitchers,” head coach Mitch Thompson said. “Our offense was stagnant. We didn’t have a whole lot of energy. We weren’t taking great at-bats, and we didn’t run the bases real well.
“We have to do better there, but our pitching staff picked us up big time, and we made plays on defense. Every pitcher who went out there threw the ball pretty well.”
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Ethan Calder (4-1) snagged the win after working 1 2/3 scoreless and striking out four batters, while senior left-handed pitcher Kobe Andrade earned his second consecutive save (2), closing the ballgame with 1 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. The Mavericks tallied their lone run of the game in the eighth inning against redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Gabe Craig, who threw 1.0 inning and gave up two hits and an earned run.
“It’s really big,” Andrade said of pitching in big moments. “I have confidence in my teammates behind me on defense and just try to go out there and do my job. It’s definitely been a role I’ve been in before, and it’s the ‘Mamba Mentality’ I take out there — just trusting my ability to go out and get the job done and count on my teammates to be right behind me.”
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While the Bears struggled to get much going offensively, junior shortstop Tyriq Kemp kept his hot streak going as he went 3-for-4 at the plate. The three-hit mark ties a Baylor career-high and was the second time he’s recorded the trifecta in as many games. Aside from Kemp, Baylor notched just four other hits. Most notably, redshirt junior right fielder Enzo Apodaca went 1-for-5, extending his on-base streak to 14 straight games a day after being named Big 12 Player of the Week.
Baylor set the tone, plating a run in the second and fourth innings off the bat of sophomore left fielder Caleb Bergman. Both runs went as unearned as the Mavericks recorded an error each time Bergman put the ball in play, which allowed both runs to score. Senior first baseman Cole Posey found the only Bear RBI as he whipped a single to left field in the eighth to give Baylor a 3-0 lead before UTA added its lone run in the bottom of the inning.
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Baylor returns to action on Friday to kick off a three-game series against Kansas (19-14, 7-8 Big 12). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in game one at Baylor Ballpark.
