Baylor Baseball falls in Extras to Abilene Christian, 5-2

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (9-16) extended its losing streak to four games after falling in the eleventh inning to Abilene Christian (19-6), 5-2, Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark.

Baylor Athletics

Baylor’s offense was 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position in the loss.

In the extra-innings loss, the Bears’ offense outhit ACU but went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

“I was disappointed in the way we swung the bat,” coach Mitch Thompson said after the game.

“This was a tough loss. And it ends up being an extra-innings loss, but we have to move on … Tonight, we didn’t have as much energy; it didn’t feel like … We’ll learn. It’s a constant process.”

Heading into the bottom of the ninth, Baylor was trailing 2-0 until freshman catcher Walker Polk soared a pinch-hit, two-out home run over the left field wall to tie the game at two apiece.

Despite the momentum swing, the Bears had the bases loaded later in the inning and in the tenth but couldn’t get the walk-off hit.

Junior righty Grant Golomb then allowed a three-spot in the top of the eleventh.

“We had other opportunities after [Polk’s game-tying homer] to win the game, but we didn’t get it done. Give Abilene Christian credit,” Thompson said.

“I thought we pitched the ball well enough to win. Anytime you give up two runs in nine innings, you should have a shot; you should be in good shape, but we weren’t.”

Earlier in the game, veteran reliever Cole Stasio entered into a jam in the fifth inning with no outs and runners on first and second base. 

After a sac-bunt advanced the runners, Stasio got the following Wildcat batter to ground out to third base, but sophomore 3B Hunter Teplanszky made an errant throw home on what should have been an out the plate and gave ACU the 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Bears had runners on second and third with only one out but could not plate any runs.

Abilene Christian added a run in the seventh off of freshman lefty Ethan Calder to extend its lead to 2-0.

Final: Abilene Christian 5 - Baylor 2

W: Drake Boggan (2-1) L: Grant Golomb (0-1) S: Zach Smith (1)

POTG: Hunter Teplanszky 4-6

WHAT’S NEXT

Baylor baseball (9-16, 2-3) will travel to Lawrence, Kansas, for a conference series against the Kansas Jayhawks (8-14, 0-3) this weekend. Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.