Baylor Baseball Swept by West Virginia, Lost Finale 7-5

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia – Baylor baseball (16-15, 2-7) lost the series finale to West Virginia (20-10, 5-1) on Sunday afternoon allowing the Mountaineers to complete the sweep. It was the first time this year Baylor was swept in conference, and the first sweep suffered by the Bears since their opening series against Maryland.

The Mountaineers' offense was able to finish the series with a bang by teeing off on the Bears' pitching staff. They picked up seven runs on thirteen hits and were walked six times. 

Will Rigney was unable to go today, and Jake Jackson started in his place. Jackson allowed six hits to the first seven batters he faced. It was 4-0 Mountaineers after the first inning before Cam Caley entered in the second inning and allowed two runs. 6-0 WVU.

Baylor Athletics

Jake Jackson got another chance at a weekend start and had a rough go

It was too easy for Randy Mazey’s team all afternoon. West Virginia remained aggressive on the basepaths and played incredible defense. Whether Baylor put a left-handed pitcher or a righty on the mound, they were all getting hit hard. 

In the past couple of Sundays against TCU and OU, the Bears were able to salvage both series on solid notes, thanks to strong performances from the offense and Will Rigney. However, without Rigney, the pitching put the game out of reach early. The offense fought hard but ultimately fell well short of picking up the slack. With just three hits on the afternoon, they could not carry the team past the early deficit. 

Hopefully, Rigney will be able to go in a week or two because without him, it’s going to be a long rest of the season. 

In the fourth inning with the bases loaded, Harrison Caley and Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo were both hit by pitches. The Bears were able to come away with three runs before they even got a hit, courtesy of West Virginia’s pitching staff walking four and hitting two.

Later in the inning, Baylor picked up its first hit of the game on an Alex Gonzales single up the middle that scored two more for the Bears. BU cut the lead to 6-5 after the top of the fourth. 

Baylor Athletics

Harrison Caley rounds third base

Any hopes for a turnaround were dashed though when Hambleton Oliver entered in the sixth and immediately gave up a home run to Austin Davis. He left the game after walking the bases loaded, and Adam Muirhead entered in relief. Muirhead got the double play to get the Bears out of the inning, but West Virginia led 7-5 after six and would not surrender that lead. 

The offense had several more opportunities to tie the game or take the lead, but nothing came of them.

Baylor needed to take two of three this weekend in Morgantown, but they return home to Waco empty-handed. The road to the post-season is not going to get any easier and the margin of error is getting incredibly thin.

Final: West Virginia 7 - Baylor 5

W: Zach Bravo (4-0) L: Jake Jackson (2-3) 

WHAT’S NEXT

Baylor baseball (16-15, 2-7) looks to bounce back against #10 Texas State (23-9, 8-3) Tuesday at 6:30 P.M. at Bobcat Ballpark.