By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Teams are not defined by wins but by how they respond to adversity.
What is a common philosophy in sports will become reality for Baylor as it faces its most difficult test of the season in the Bruce Bolt College Classic.
“This weekend’s really going to show us what kind of team we are,” fifth year right-handed pitcher Caleb Bunch said.
The Bears are set to face off against No. 3 Texas (8-0), No. 25 Ole Miss (9-0) and UTSA (7-1) in a three-day gauntlet at Daikin Park in Houston.
Baylor (5-3) saw a glimpse of what it was made of last weekend at the Round Rock Classic. While it was a quiet offensive showing and a struggle for the bullpen, the Bears remained competitive with two top-25 teams.
“We played three really good ball clubs and [were] able to stay in those games after we got punched,” Bunch said. “That shows the character of this team.”
Baylor’s bats fell on hard times a week ago, striking out a tournament-high 42 times while tallying only seven runs on 17 hits.
“We’ve got to get the ball in play, there’s no doubt about it,” head coach Mitch Thompson said. “We’ve got to continue to draw free passes when they give us opportunities … We need to come through with a big hit. We need to come through with moving the runners and handling the game.”
The Bears are not zoning in on their stat sheets, but rather are focusing on their approach. They expect to contest more pitches against two elite staffs in Texas and Ole Miss and hope to see the ball flying.
“We just want to be as competitive as possible,” redshirt sophomore catcher Brayden Buchanan said. “Not necessarily being so outcome-focused but just focused on our process at the plate.”
Last weekend was a tale of two halves for the Baylor pitching staff. Its starting pitching was the bright spot in what ended up a disappointing road trip. The three starters allowed only three runs across 13 innings of work. The bullpen was part of a different story, though, as the relievers gave up 11 runs in 14 innings.
“Stefan Stahl was great last week against Oregon State. Ethan Calder, the same way. Cade Hansen got us into the game,” Thompson said. “That’s the ability that they have … We were in every game.”
The keys to success all trace back to pitching coach Sean Snedeker and his philosophy.
“[We’ll] stay with our approach,” Bunch said. “Coach Sned is super big on filling up the zone, throwing strikes, making guys get themselves out.”
Baylor is making its return to Daikin Park for the first time since 2022. The weekend marks its 14th appearance in a Houston tournament, compiling a record of 21-18. The players are amped to compete against an elite field of programs.
“This has been, for the last 25 years, one of the premier tournaments in the country,” Thompson said. “It’ll be a great environment, great crowds, playing in a big-league ballpark. It’s a lot of fun for all these Texas kids, for sure, but it’s a big deal for every guy in our club.”
The Bears open the weekend against No. 25 Ole Miss at 3:05 p.m. Friday at Daikin Park in Houston. The game will be streamed on D1Baseball.com and broadcast on Baylor Lariat Radio.
