Baylor Baseball Swept by No. 18 West Virginia, Loses Finale 18-4

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Baylor’s offense totaled seven hits on the game and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (15-29, 6-15) was blown out in the series finale by No. 18 West Virginia (33-11, 11-4), 18-4, Sunday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark.

The defeat extends the Bears losing streak to four games, and the sweep has BU planted firmly in last place in the Big 12 with a conference record of 6-15.

Baylor’s offense totaled seven hits on the game and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. 

Two of the Bears' best hitters, freshman SS Kolby Branch and junior 2B Cole Posey, combined to go 1-for-23 at the plate this weekend with 10 strikeouts.

“We could never put the pressure on them offensively to really get into the game,” coach Mitch Thompson said after the loss.

“We’re down 7-4 … but West Virginia responded every time that we scored. We scored two, and here they come back the next inning and respond. We couldn’t put up a zero, and those zeros following our runs are really important to try and get down.”

West Virginia got out to a quick lead with a three-spot in the first inning off of junior lefty Cam Caley.  

“It’s so disappointing to start the ballgame and immediately be trailing three runs,” Thompson said. “How many times has it happened? I think every one of us has to look at ourselves and improve.”

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Junior LHP Cam Caley earned the loss and allowed seven earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched Saturday.

Caley, coming off his best performance of the season, couldn’t recreate the success he had last weekend in his start against No. 16 Texas Tech, where he went 6.2 innings pitched and allowed just one earned run.

The Bears fought back and added two runs in the second, thanks to a pair of RBI fielder’s choices from sophomore C Cort Castle and freshman CF Caleb Bergman.

In the fourth, junior LF Daniel Altman picked up an RBI sacrifice fly, and sophomore 3B Hunter Teplanszky grounded an RBI single through the left side. It was Teplanszky’s first hit since returning from an injury that sidelined him for four games.

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Baylor only trailed West Virginia 8-4, entering the eighth inning.

West Virginia extended the lead to 7-4 with two more runs in the third and two in the fifth.

Three of the four runs came via the long ball. Caley earned the loss and finished the afternoon tossing 4.1 innings and surrendering seven earned runs and six hits on 82 pitches.

Similar to yesterday’s contest, the game was competitive entering the eighth before the Mountaineers put the game out of reach with runs off of relievers Anderson Needham, Hambleton Oliver and Gabe Craig to go up 13-4.

West Virginia scored five runs in the ninth off of freshman righty Danny Valadez. The Mountaineers finished the afternoon with 19 hits, and the Baylor pitching staff handed out double-digit free passes (12) for the second consecutive game.

Final: West Virginia 18 - Baylor 4

W: Grant Siegel (4-2) L: Cam Caley (0-5)

WHAT’S NEXT

Next Tuesday, the Bears (15-29) will travel to Abilene for a midweek matchup against Abilene Christian (26-15). The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.