Baylor Baseball Blanked by No. 18 West Virginia in Saturday Contest, 10-0
WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (15-28, 6-14) fell to No. 18 West Virginia (32-11, 10-4), 10-0, Saturday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark.
In the defeat, Baylor’s pitching staff limited the potent Mountaineer offense to eight base knocks but handed out a combined 14 free passes.
It was the eighth time this season that the BU pitching staff has walked or hit double-digit opposing batters.
The Bears’ offense racked up six hits in the game, but three of the six hits were infield singles. Junior LF Daniel Altman went 3-3 at the plate in his seventh start of the year.
Despite how ugly the final score looked, Baylor only trailed 2-0 heading into the eighth inning before the wheels fell off.
“We couldn’t match them on the mound, and we couldn’t make any adjustments offensively,” coach Mitch Thompson said after the loss.
“The shame of it is it’s a game; there’s an opportunity. We’re a bloop and a blast from being in it, and all of a sudden, we’re not … For me, this is absolutely a gut-check time. This is absolutely a ‘what’s in your heart and how badly do you want to fight?’”
Junior righty Will Rigney started on the bump for the Bears Saturday.
The Waco native uncharacteristically walked seven batters but managed to surrender just one run in four innings pitched.
West Virginia added to its lead with a JJ Wetherholt solo home run in the seventh off of junior reliever Grant Golomb. Wetherholt went 3-5 at the plate Saturday and is currently second in the country in batting average (.456).
The Mountaineers’ starter, Blaine Traxel, who leads the country in innings pitched, tossed a complete game shutout. Traxel struck out six and did not issue a single walk.
“[Traxel] is a consummate college pitcher,” Thompson said. “He’s going to get you out and frustrate you and keep you off balance. Man, there’s a lot to learn watching a guy like that … He’s out there playing a video game with you is his mentality, and he loves it.”
Unfortunately for Baylor, the wind robbed Kolby Branch and Hunter Teplanszky of two-run homers earlier in the contest.
West Virginia would later put the game out of reach with three runs in the eighth and five in the ninth.
Relievers Adam Muirhead, Jared Matheson and Brett Garcia gave six free passes in the last two innings.
“When you’re walking them and hitting them and have to get five outs in an inning, usually somebody’s going to put a five-spot or something on you, and that’s what happened,” Thompson said.
Final: West Virginia 10 - Baylor 0
W: Blaine Traxel (6-3) L: Will Rigney (3-2)
WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor baseball (15-28, 6-14) will look to salvage its series against No. 18 West Virginia (32-11, 10-4) at 11 a.m. Sunday at Baylor Ballpark.