Baylor Baseball Unable to Overcome Defensive Woes in 5-4 Loss to No. 18 West Virginia
WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (15-27, 6-13) fell in disappointing fashion in the series opener to No. 18 West Virginia (31-11, 9-4), 5-4, Friday night at Baylor Ballpark.
With the Bears leading 4-3 with one out in the eighth inning, junior Casey Sunseri, in his first outfield start of the season, dropped a routine fly ball in left field to put a runner on second base.
Veteran reliever Hambleton Oliver couldn’t overcome the defensive lapse and allowed a two-out, two-run double later in the frame to the Mountaineers’ nine-hole, Evan Smith, to give WVU a 5-4 lead.
In a season full of disappointing losses, Friday’s defeat may have been the one that stung the most. Baylor’s defense combined for four errors, and only one of West Virginia’s five runs was earned.
“It’s disappointing because it’s probably one of 10 different things that if we do differently; if we make one pitch or we make one play, then we probably win the game,” coach Mitch Thompson said after the loss.
“I thought our guys really competed hard. I thought that we fought hard … It’s just disappointing. West Virginia is a really talented team, very athletic, and when you give them as many free bases as we give a team, you are probably going to lose. And you’re going to lose 5-4 even if you compete really hard. That’s the frustrating part of this.”
After two quick outs in the top of the first inning, Friday’s starter Mason Marriott handed out two free passes to the Mountaineers' three and four-hole hitters.
On the ensuing at-bat, Marriott caught Landon Wallace trying to steal third base, but the ball was dropped by freshman 3B Jack Johnson after applying the tag. West Virginia capitalized with a two-run single moments later and added another run in the second inning.
Marriott settled in nicely afterward and finished at five innings tossed and allowed three runs, only one of which was earned, five hits and three walks on 96 pitches while striking out four.
In the second, the Bears got their first run of the game when sophomore C Cort Castle scored on an RBI sacrifice fly from sophomore 1B John Ceccoli.
Ceccoli delivered again in the fourth with a perfectly placed RBI double down the right-field line to cut West Virginia’s lead to 3-2.
In the sixth, Sunseri lined a sharp go-ahead, two-out double down the left-field line to give BU the 4-3 lead. It was Sunseri’s first extra-base hit and second hit of the season.
Johnson, Ceccoli and Sunseri contributed four of Baylor’s seven hits and scored all four runs.
“Jack Johnson comes in the game and gets two hits and scores two runs. You’ve got to be proud of that,” Thompson said.
“Cecolli came back and out and drove in two runs. And then Casey Sunseri with his double. The six, seven and eight-hole tonight really drove in all of our runs. They gave us an opportunity, and they gave us a chance.”
Final: West Virginia 5 - Baylor 4
W: Aidan Major (3-2) L: Hambleton Oliver (2-4) S: Carlson Reed (5)
WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor baseball (15-27, 6-13) will continue its series against No. 18 West Virginia (31-11, 9-4) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Baylor Ballpark.