Baylor picks up first win of the season over Houston Baptist 6-2
WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball notched its first win of the season against Houston Baptist (0-4) on Tuesday night.
Baylor got the night started off on a good note when Kyle Nevin hit a two-out RBI single into left field, scoring Jared McKenzie from second. It was a welcome site for Nevin, as he has struggled at the plate so far this season (.154).
Jack Pineda hit a lead-off triple to start the bottom of the 3rd, the third extra-base hit of the year for the Bears. Kyle Nevin hit a sac-fly to bring in Pineda, giving him his second RBI of the night.
In the bottom of the 5th, Tre Richardson hit the first home-run of the season over the left-field wall to widen the Baylor lead to 4-0.
The defensive struggles continued to mount for the Bears. Two consecutive errors by Pineda and Nevin jeopardized the shutout in the 6th, but Cam Caley was able to escape the inning with no damage done. Kyle Nevin dropped a pop-fly in the top of the 7th to load the bases, Chandler Freeman went on to walk in two runs for Houston Baptist. Hambleton Oliver entered and got the Bears out of the jam.
Antonio Valdez returned the favor in the bottom of the 7th, by walking with the bases loaded, to give him his first RBI of the season. Chase Wehsener then singled to bring in another run, tallying the Baylor lead to 6-2.
Final: Baylor 6 - Houston Baptist 2
W: Kobe Andrade (1-0) L: Will Ripoli (0-1)
POTG: Tre Richardson 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2B, HBP
TOP QUOTES
“I think it's always good to get the first one. Learning how to win is a really important thing. Like I told our guys today, today is a hard win. Simply because the conditions are not traditional baseball weather. You have twenty miles per hour winds blowing straight in... We executed much better today... I am really happy with how we are playing. We got better today and that’s a good sign for us.” - Coach Rodriguez
”I was more happy to bump the lead to 4-0... I am not a home run hitter, that is not something I try to go up there and do. I just try to go up there and get good at-bats and put a good swing on it for my team...” - Tre Richardson
”That first win is a huge sigh of relief... It’s funny, after the game I went to church on Sunday night. I swear it was like God just told me something I was doing wrong with my swing. I think when God tells you something, you better listen to it.” - Jack Pineda
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor takes on Duke in a three-game series starting on Friday at 3 PM at Baylor Ballpark.