Baylor Drops First Midweek Contest of Season, Falls 6-2 to Texas State

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (21-11) dropped its first midweek contest of the season with a disheartening 6-2 defeat to Texas State (16-16) Tuesday evening at Baylor Ballpark.

The Bears rounded out their five-game homestand with a 2-3 record and totaled 15 runs in that span, a season-low across a five-game stretch by a wide margin. Against the Bobcats, who sported a 6.57 team earned run average entering the contest, Baylor was shut out for eight innings before scraping two runs across in the final frame.

The Bears totaled only six base knocks and went 1-for-15 with runners on and 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. In advancement opportunities, Baylor was 2-for-15 at the plate while Texas State was 7-for-26 and recorded nine hits. The Bears were also 0-for-2 on stolen bases.

“We didn’t swing the bats. We really haven’t swung the bats in the five games that we’ve played here this weekend,” head coach Mitch Thompson said post-game. “That’s frustrating and disappointing. The wind played a factor over the weekend, but there was no factor tonight other than us. There’s no one to point the finger at but ourselves.”

Left-handed pitcher Mason Green (So.) made his season debut on Tuesday evening and started the game on the bump for the Bears. Green was one of Baylor’s top arms in the fall and was supposed to be a key piece before missing the first half of the spring with an injury.

After walking the leadoff batter and surrendering a single, Green motioned to the dugout, not with an injury but needing a new shoe. With a new cleat, Green swiftly proceeded to strike out the side. He threw 25 pitches in his lone inning, with 15 being strikes.

“I thought there were two or three positives even though the game was not. Mason Green showing back up and being out there and getting through that first inning,” Thompson said. “Even though he wasn’t perfectly sharp and he was trying to find some stuff, to strike out three guys was big. He’ll give us a lift and another quality arm to use from here on out.”

In the second inning, Green was replaced by veteran lefty Bryson Bales (6Sr.). Bales struggled with command in his outing, allowing two free passes across two frames. One of those walks came around to score, and another run scored, following an error by first baseman Jack Little (RSo.). Both runs came with two outs and gave Texas State an early 2-0 lead.

Baylor’s hitting woes from the Houston series carried into Tuesday with the Bears going 0-for-7 with runners on and 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position across the first four innings. Despite having a runner aboard in each of the first four innings, Baylor had nothing to show for it.

Right-handed pitcher Cole Stasio (RSr.) threw 1.2 scoreless frames with four strikeouts. Lefty Caleb Jameson (RSo.) entered in place of Stasio and allowed four runners to reach base in the sixth inning, including a Little League home run from center fielder Samson Pugh (So.), giving Texas State a 5-0 lead.

“Tonight’s game wasn’t about the pitchers not doing their jobs,” Thompson said. “We didn’t play very good defense. If you don’t play defense and you don’t score, you’re not going to win.”

Trailing 5-0 in the seventh inning, Hunter Teplanszky (Sr.), usually an infielder, made his first appearance on the mound in a Baylor uniform and tossed a scoreless frame with two punchouts.

“It was good to see him get out there and pitch,” Thompson said of Teplanszky. “He showed he has the ability to help us on the mound as well. I think that’s a positive, and I thought Stasio threw the ball really well in his time out there.”

The Bears finally got on the board in the ninth inning when designated hitter Hunter Simmons (RSr.) lined an RBI single into right-center field and shortstop Tyriq Kemp (Sr.) later scored on a wild pitch.

“We gotta get back to having a little mojo and swagger at the plate because you’re going to have to score to win,” Thompson said. “To take no runs into the ninth inning is not acceptable, and you’re not going to win very often.”

Final: Texas State 6, Baylor 2

W: Austin Eaton (2-2) L: Bryson Bales (2-3)

WHAT’S NEXT

The Bears (21-11, 5-7) will hit the road to face Texas Tech (9-19, 5-7) this weekend for a three-game set. The series opener is on Friday, April 11, at 6:30 p.m. at Rip Griffin Park. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.