By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Freshman outfielder Bo Caraway stepped up to bat in the top of the ninth, looking to break a 3-3 game. He lined a ball into left field that just missed the reach of Ryan Tyranski and rolled to the wall for a leadoff triple.
Redshirt junior shortstop Travis Sanders hit a hard ground ball off the pitcher’s mound and into center field to drive in Caraway and give Baylor its first lead since the top of the third.
The Bears continued to lay it on in the ninth. Freshman outfielder Brady Janusek added some insurance with a two-run double followed by a pair of RBI singles to cap off a five-run inning.
The ninth-inning rally lifted Baylor (20-15, 8-7 Big 12) over Cincinnati (24-14, 6-9 Big 12), 8-3, salvaging the series for the Bears after dropping the first two games by scores of 11-1 and 8-0.
Caraway, along with scoring the go-ahead run, drove in Baylor’s second and third runs, which sent the game into the ninth tied 3-3. He brought in fifth-year outfielder Ty Johnson with a sacrifice double play in the fifth and redshirt freshman infielder Brytton Clements (2-for-5, RBI) with an RBI bunt single in the seventh.
Baylor’s bats got to work in the first inning. Sophomore infielder Pearson Riebock (2-for-4) laced a double down the left-field line to set up shop. Janusek (3-for-5, 2 RBI) singled to put runners on the corners. Riebock scored the game’s first run on a throwing error from Cincinnati starting pitcher Connor Blue.
Senior left-handed pitcher Ethan Calder dealt throughout his eighth start, allowing three runs and striking out six in 5.2 innings.
His only major hiccup came in the bottom of the third. An RBI triple off Tyranski’s bat and an RBI single by Quinton Coats gave the Bearcats a 2-1 lead.
Calder ended his outing in the sixth after giving up three base hits to lead off the inning and working with two more runners in scoring position. Junior left-hander RJ Ruais came in and closed the door, stranding the two runners he inherited.
Fifth-year right-handed pitcher Caleb Bunch closed the door on Cincinnati. He dished out three scoreless innings with only one hit en route to his fourth win of the season.
Baylor returns home to take on UTSA (25-11, 8-4 American) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Baylor Ballpark. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
