By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
Out for blood, Baylor baseball slugged three home runs and cashed in 10 unearned runs on three Texas State errors to run-rule the Bobcats 19-3 in seven innings Tuesday night at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos.
Carrying a 7-3 lead into the sixth inning, the Bears (15-5, 1-2 Big 12) blew the door open — but their backs were against the wall the whole inning. After a dropped third strike, catcher’s interference and a pair of swinging strikeouts to open the frame, Texas State (8-12, 0-3 SBC) had already done more than enough to escape the inning. Instead, there were two runners stood on base with two outs, and the floodgates opened.
The next eight Baylor batters reached base — four on hits and four on free passes — leading to 10 unearned runs, the most in an inning since setting a program record of 17 against Kansas State in 2021. Every player in the starting lineup scored a run, and three Bears picked up multi-hit games.
“I loved that we took 14 walks or hit batters on offense,” head coach Mitch Thompson said. “We had some at-bats that were fantastic. There’s still room for improvement, but you’ve got to like a 19-3 road win.”
Redshirt senior right fielder Enzo Apodaca led the way, reaching base four times and knocking in four runs via two doubles, a walk and a solo home run in the fifth inning. Freshman third baseman Pearson Riebock also reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with a triple, two walks and three RBIs.
“Today, I just tried slowing everything down,” Apodaca said. “These past couple weeks, I’ve been fishing for stuff and gripping at the plate, so today I just tried to simplify things and see the ball down the middle, hit it where it’s pitched and not try to do too much. That’s baseball, man.”
Senior center fielder Ty Johnson was the final Bear with a multi-hit game, providing two hits and four runs batted in. Redshirt sophomore left fielder Gavin Brzozowksi (1-for-4, 2 RBI) and senior designated hitter Wesley Jordan (1-for-4, RBI) each homered.
The green and gold picked up 11 hits, 11 walks and two hit by pitches at the plate, while the pitching staff delivered six scoreless innings after a three-run bottom of the first.
Redshirt sophomore left-handed pitcher Caleb Jameson (1-0) earned the win in his second start of the year, throwing two full innings with four strikeouts and three runs allowed. Right-handers Andrew Petrowski, Camden Clewett, Patrick Hail, Caleb Bunch and lefty Stefan Stahl combined for five scoreless frames. With each reliever pitching an inning, they allowed three hits and two walks to go along with three strikeouts.
“I liked that we played really good defense,” Thompson said. “I liked that we continued to throw a lot of different guys on the mound and virtually every guy out there goes and does a nice job… There’s lots of stuff to be happy about tonight.”
The Bears return to action Friday at 6:30 p.m., opening a three-game series against Kansas State at Baylor Ballpark.
