By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
When redshirt freshman John Youens and sophomore catcher Brayden Buchanan brought a taxidermy bobcat to the field Friday, they knew it was going to be a staple at the ballpark. The magic happened again Saturday afternoon as Baylor Baseball shut out Utah 9-0 at Baylor Ballpark.
“We lost on Friday, and we just came back, and we see a taxidermy bobcat in our locker room,” sophomore left-handed pitcher Mason Green said. “We were like, ‘All right, let’s do something with this.’ No idea where it came from, but it’s here to stay.”
The Bears (25-14, 8-10 Big 12) were one out away from their first nine-inning one-hitter since April 20, 2018, against TCU as four pitchers manned the rubber against the Utes (16-19, 5-13 Big 12), but a double broke up the history.
After dropping the series opener 13-1 on Thursday, head coach Mitch Thompson saw his team respond with what he called the two best games they’ve played back-to-back this year.
“It feels great because Thursday we got punched in the mouth, and to see the guys respond the way they did the last two days says a whole lot about their character and commitment,” Thompson said.
Green provided his longest outing since April 26, 2024, dealing three scoreless innings without allowing a hit. Redshirt senior left-handed pitcher Bryson Bales (3-3) followed Green’s footsteps with 3 2/3 scoreless, hitless innings of his own in relief and earned the win.
“Mason was probably our top pitcher all fall,” Thompson said. “To see him go out there for 40 pitches today was great. I thought he was really good, and it was obviously his best outing. And it was Bales’ best outing, too.”
The duo combined to earn four strikeouts while the only baserunners reached on two walks, a hit-by-pitch and a throwing error. After Bales walked a batter with two outs in the top of the seventh, Thompson turned to junior right-hander Grayson Murry, who baited a groundout two pitches later.
“It’s super cool to see success, especially with Green coming back from rehab,” Bales said. “I hope the other pitchers can see the success of today and just roll with it. Just know that your stuff is good and that you can pound and get zeros on the board.”
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Murry trotted back out in the eighth inning, and pinch-hitter Jake Long stepped up to the plate. Behind in a 1-2, Long watched a pitch fly by at the bottom of the strike zone, which Murry and sophomore catcher JJ Kennett thought was strike three. Instead, the pitch was called a ball, and Long ripped a single into left field on the next pitch.
“[A two-hitter] feels great,” Green said. “Could have felt even better. It’s very close and controversial, but we’ll take two hits and zero runs any day of the week.”
The Bears worked out of the inning quickly, though, as a double play and strikeout ended Murry’s day after 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Senior right-handed pitcher Will Glatch fired the ninth inning, allowing a two-out double down the left field line before wrapping up the shutout.
Redshirt senior right fielder Enzo Apodaca opened the scoring, sending a triple to center field to lead off the first and tagging on a sacrifice fly from senior shortstop Tyriq Kemp on the next at-bat. Apodaca finished a home run away from the cycle, going 3-for-5 with a single, double and triple.
After a few silent innings, redshirt sophomore second baseman Travis Sanders ripped a solo home run to right-center field as the leadoff man in the bottom of the fourth inning. After three straight walks and a pitching change, senior first baseman Will Pendergrass strolled up to the plate looking to damage.
Looking for something up in the zone with a 1-0 count, Pendergrass walloped a 406-foot grand slam over the left field fence and onto Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field. The first baseman went 2-for-3 on the day with a walk and four runs batted in.
Pendy poke 👋#SicEm 🐻⚾️ | #Together pic.twitter.com/7mSKnQGsu7
— Baylor Baseball (@BaylorBaseball) April 19, 2025
“I kind of blacked out in the moment,” Pendergrass said. “I just kind of saw a cement mixer slider at the top of the zone, and I didn’t miss it. It felt good.”
Baylor tacked on another in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly from redshirt senior designated hitter Hunter Simmons (2-for-2, BB) to take a 7-0 lead. Sanders added more insurance in the seventh inning with his second home run of the day, this time a 412-foot solo shot.
Working a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Kemp provided top-notch defensive support behind Bales. The shortstop used a “Jeter Jump” with his toes on the outfield grass and a diving grab on the next at-bat to keep the Utes off the basepaths.
como se dice WOW?!?! #SicEm 🐻⚾️ | #Together pic.twitter.com/JBx3ETJZHF
— Baylor Baseball (@BaylorBaseball) April 19, 2025
“Tyriq’s play today, oh my gosh,” Thompson said. “To make those plays and those throws and to do it like [he’s] doing it. People have no idea. We’re blessed with Tyriq and he played fantastic.”
With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Sanders capped off his 2-for-3 day with his second walk of the game to give Baylor a 9-0 advantage. After Glatch shut down the ninth inning, the green and gold officially landed their second Big 12 series win of the year.
The Bears will take on Houston Christian University (22-15, 14-6 SLC) for the second time this season at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Baylor Ballpark.
