By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Baylor was looking to hold onto a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth. A hit batter, a single and a walk loaded the bases with no outs for Sam Houston State and ended senior right-handed pitcher Cade Hansen’s night.
Bearkat center fielder Jeric Curtis ripped an 0-2 pitch through the left side of the infield, driving in two and tying the game at three.
The Bearkats were in prime position to take the lead with a wild pitch from junior right-hander Charlie Atkinson, advancing both runners into scoring position. Cade Corcoran lifted a ball into right field to score a runner from third and take a 4-3 lead.
Sam Houston State (18-23, 7-11 Conference USA) didn’t look back, defeating Baylor (22-18, 9-9 Big 12) 7-5 on Tuesday night.
The Bearkats tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Curtis drove in the first run with a single up the middle and Corcoran followed with an RBI double.
Sam Houston State struck first, as Ryan Franden led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to right field. The solo shot proved to be the only hiccup in freshman right-handed pitcher Caldwell McFaddin’s start. He finished with one run allowed on two hits through three frames.
A walk from junior third baseman Robert De La Garza and a single from freshman center fielder Bo Caraway set up the Bears in the top of the third. Redshirt junior shortstop Travis Sanders (3-for-5, 2 RBI) laced a single to right field, driving in both runners and giving Baylor a 2-1 lead.
Junior catcher JJ Kennett extended the Bears’ lead to 3-1 with an RBI single to score redshirt senior first baseman Tyce Armstrong in the fourth.
Fifth-year left fielder Ty Johnson walked with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth. Sanders hit a hard line drive to right field in the ninth to start a rally, but the Bears came up short, losing 7-5.
The Baylor lineup struggled throughout the contest in Huntsville, striking out 10 times. Sanders ended the night as the only Bear with multiple hits.
Baylor used six pitchers throughout the game. Hansen received his third loss of the season, giving up three runs and three hits in one inning.
The Bears continue their road trip with a three-game weekend series against No. 25 Arizona State (28-13, 11-7 Big 12). First pitch for game one is set for 8:30 p.m. Friday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.
