By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
When scouring the college baseball scene, finding a middle infield duo on a hotter three-game stretch than senior shortstop Tyriq Kemp and redshirt sophomore second baseman Travis Sanders would be nearly impossible.
Kemp and Sanders each cranked two-homer games on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, and tormented pitchers again on Tuesday night. The double play duo launched solo home runs, marking the first time under head coach Mitch Thompson that Baylor baseball has hit two or more homers in three straight games, to pull the Bears past Houston Christian 9-1 at Baylor Ballpark.
“They’re playing video games, like Road to the Show, he hits a pump, the other hits a pump, it’s just them going back and forth,” redshirt senior designated hitter Hunter Simmons said. “It seems like they’re just battling each other, but they’re really bringing a lot to the team right now. It’s bringing a lot of energy.”
The Bears (25-14, 8-10 Big 12) finished their third straight “all-around” game, according to Thompson, cranking 13 hits and striking out 11 Huskies (22-16, 14-7 SLC).
“That’s three great ones in a row, so that’s good to see,” Thompson said. “We just have to keep, keep our eyes focused on the future and trying to get better.”
Playing small ball, senior center fielder Ty Johnson used a safety squeeze to score redshirt sophomore second baseman Travis Sanders to open the scoring in the bottom of the second. Simmons, who was stranded at third base, led the Bears with a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate and two runs scored.
Redshirt sophomore left-handed pitcher Caleb Jameson anchored the bullpen day, delivering his third-straight scoreless appearance in a season-long 2 2/3 innings as the Bears’ starter. Redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Cole Stasio backed him up, going two innings and tying a season-high with four strikeouts.
The only hit he allowed was a solo homer in the fourth to tie the game 1-1. Prior to the home run, Baylor’s bullpen had dealt 11 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to Thursday against Utah.
“We really pitched the ball well,” Thompson said. “You give up one run in nine innings and threw six guys, gave up five hits, punched out 11 and walked nobody. That’s about as good as it gets on the mound.”
Against the team he slugged a walk-off home run against on April 1, Sanders kept his home run swing on-line. After slugging two home runs on Sunday, Sanders tagged his third in his last four at-bats, cranking a 418-foot solo home run to left-center field in the bottom of the fourth. Sanders finished the day with his 12th multi-hit game of the season, going 3-for-4 with a stolen base and three runs scored.
“It’s contagious, it just breathes through the lineup,” Simmons said. “We’re in the right direction. A lot of hits, a lot of runs and a lot of good pitching. So, [we are] just kind of trying to keep doubling down on that.”
Huskies junior left-handed pitcher Jacob Cyr lasted a season-long five innings on 62 total pitches, allowing two runs (only one of which was earned) on five hits. After removing Cyr, the Huskies recorded two quick outs before a single and three straight walks plated a run and prompted a pitching change.
Right-handed pitchers Hunter Teplanszky, Grayson Murry, Will Glatch and Gabe Craig handled the final 4 1/3 innings for the green and gold, allowing one hit while striking out six. Murry, who handled the seventh inning, allowed a single on the first pitch of the frame before striking out the side on 19 pitches. Teplanszky went 1 ⅓ while the following relievers took one inning.
“Grayson’s been so good, especially against right-handed pitchers all year,” Thompson said. “To come back and strike out three guys in a row and handle his business was good. That’s what we wanted out of him today, just to get an inning out there, and stay fresh and ready to go for this weekend.
Then the bats left nothing to chance.
Kemp led off the bottom of the seventh with his fifth home run of the season to extend Baylor’s lead to 4-1. After senior left fielder Wesley Jordan grounded out, the Bears slapped three straight singles to score another run before a strikeout. With a shot to end the inning, senior first baseman Will Pendergrass slapped a chopper to shortstop, but a wild throw allowed him to reach, and two more runs to score.
Senior catcher Cortlan Castle (2-for-3, 2 RBI) swung at the first pitch during the next at-bat and came inches from his first home run of the season, instead settling for an RBI double. Redshirt senior right fielder Enzo Apodaca singled him in two pitches later to round out a six-run seventh.
While the scoring halted in the eighth, redshirt freshman John Youens belted his first career hit (a double down the right field line) to make the 9-1 win even sweeter.
The Bears will open a three-game series against No. 23 TCU (29-12, 12-6 Big 12) at 6 p.m. Friday at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth.
