By Carson Vercoe | Sports Intern
After winning the first two games in a double header on Saturday, Baylor dropped the series finale 8-3 after a five-run ninth inning from Texas Tech pushed the Red Raiders in front.
Despite Sunday’s loss, the Bears (25-22, 11-13 Big 12) grabbed their first Big 12 series win since April 4 after losing three straight Big 12 series.
“You got to feel good about getting the series win,” head coach Mitch Thompson said. “We played our hearts out yesterday and had to fight for the second win there, and that’s how it goes in this league.”
After the Red Raiders (23-24, 7-17 Big 12) got some early traffic in the first, senior pitcher Ethan Calder was able to bear down and get out of the inning with a strikeout and a sliding catch from freshman left fielder Dylan Perez.
Calder wouldn’t find the same luck in the second though, as a double from right fielder Caden Ferraro followed by an RBI single from left fielder Jace Souza gave the Red Raiders an early 1-0 lead.
The Red Raiders were inches away from expanding their lead to three runs in the third, but a leaping home run robbery from freshman right fielder Brady Janusek kept the lead at 1-0.
Despite the home run robbery, the Red Raiders were able to load the bases in, but once again Calder was able to get out of the inning with no runs allowed.
In the sixth, redshirt senior first baseman Tyce Armstrong continued his red-hot weekend at the plate, hitting his third home run of the series to tie the game at 1-1. It was Armstrong’s 21st home run of the year, tying the single-season school record.
“I am grateful for this opportunity, I am grateful for these teammates, these coaches that took a chance on me,” Armstrong said. “It’s just awesome I could do it for them.”
After Armstrong’s home run, the Bears continued to keep things rolling. A double from Perez and two hit-by-pitches loaded the bases for redshirt junior shortstop Travis Sanders. On a 3-2 count with two outs, Sanders drove a shot to left-center field for a two-RBI single, putting the Bears in front 3-1.
The Red Raiders weren’t going down easy though, as first baseman Logan Hughes delivered a deep drive over the right field wall to tie the game up at 3-3 in the eighth.
The home run forced the Bears to make a pitching change, ending Calder’s day. Calder finished with seven innings pitched, three earned runs and four strikeouts.
“He wants to be out there, and he’s such a warrior, and he’s pitched so well,” Thompson said. “I left him out there two hitters too long.”
The Red Raiders continued to get runners on in the eighth, putting batters on second and third, but a heads-up play on a ground ball by Sanders and a strikeout by redshirt freshman right-hander Brayden Bergman denied the Red Raiders any chance of getting a run.
In the ninth, the Red Raiders put runners on first and second. Designated hitter Connor Shouse hit a clutch RBI single up the middle that scored one and put the Red Raiders in front 4-3.
The Red Raiders continued to add to their lead after a two-RBI double by Ferraro and a two-run shot from catcher Matt Quintanar put the Red Raiders in front 8-3.
“Texas Tech’s got their backs against the wall, and they were obviously fighting like they were in a corner,” Thompson said.
The Bears had no response for the five spot the Red Raiders put up in the ninth, as they dropped the game 8-3.
The Bears will head down to San Marcos to take on Texas State (27-21, 10-14 Sun Belt) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Irvine-Rasmussen Ballpark. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
“It’ll be a fight. … we’ll be deep into our bullpen, so we’ll need guys to go out there and perform and get us innings and get us outs,” Thompson said. “It’ll be an offensive day for sure, probably.”
