Baylor Baseball Picks Up Midweek Win over Houston Christian, 11-4

WACO, Texas – Baylor Baseball (2-2) picked up an 11-4 come-from-behind victory over Houston Christian (0-4) on Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark.

Baylor Athletics

Redshirt freshman Gavin Brzozowski’s go-ahead two-run homer was his first collegiate home run.

BU’s pair of talented freshmen, Gavin Brzozowski and Kolby Branch, helped propel the Bears to victory with fantastic performances at the plate. 

With the game tied at 4 apiece in the seventh inning, Brzozowski launched a 388-foot go-ahead two-run homer and iced the game with a 2 RBI single an inning later in the eighth. 

Branch finished 4-5 on the evening with three extra-base hits and six RBIs, including a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth. Through four games, Branch leads the team in RBIs (9) and hits (8).

“They were two of our better hitters throughout the fall,” coach Mitch Thompson said about Branch and Brzozowski. “It does gives you hope for the future that ‘hey, we’re going to have these guys around for several years.’ It’s going to be fun to watch them play.”

Junior Kobe Andrade started the game on the mound for Baylor and struggled to make it through the first inning. After recording two outs, Andrade allowed four consecutive hits, including a two-run homer to Reed Chumley, the Huskies designated hitter.

Baylor Athletics

MCC transfer Jared Matheson struck out four batters in his season debut.

Andrade finished the evening allowing three earned runs, four hits and three walks on 35 pitches in 1.2 innings pitched.

MCC transfer Jared Matheson made his BU debut on the mound and threw two scoreless frames and struck out four.

Junior Adam Muirhead and senior Anderson Needham also made their first appearances of the season and combined for three shutout innings.

“The thing that I’m probably proud of the most today was watching the bullpen come in there,” Thompson said. “Matheson for the first time. Muirhead for the first time. Needham for the first time. And then having Rogers and Hambleton Oliver come in and really do a nice job in a pressure situation.”

Oliver entered in the seventh with only one out and inherited runners on first and second but managed to escape the jam with minimal damage and come away with tonight’s victory.

Final: Baylor 11 - Houston Christian 4

W: Hambleton Oliver (1-0) L: Will Ripoll (0-1)

POTG: Kolby Branch 4-5, HR, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 2 R

WHAT’S NEXT

Baylor Baseball (2-2) will travel to North Carolina to take on the Duke Blue Devils (2-1) for a weekend series. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon.