Baylor Baseball's Offense Kept in Check in 4-2 loss to Grand Canyon

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (16-31) came up short in a 4-2 loss to Grand Canyon (31-19) Tuesday evening at Baylor Ballpark.

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In the loss, the Bears racked up more errors (3) than they had hits (1).

After six days without a game for final exams, BU’s offense and defense came out sluggish in their return to the diamond.

The Bears racked up more errors (3) than hits (1) and struck out 13 times on the evening.

It was only the fourth time this season that Baylor has been held to less than five hits.

The BU pitching staff was excellent, however. They limited the Antelopes to four hits and four walks, but three of GCU’s four runs were unearned.

“I think our pitchers did a good enough job of winning a ballgame for us,” coach Mitch Thompson said after the loss. “Overall, the positive of the night was our pitching staff showed up and competed pretty good … Some of [the defensive miscues are a lack of] experience, and we’ve got to keep getting better at it, but the defense was not solid. Anytime you have as many errors as we had, it’s not solid.”

With another game tomorrow against Lamar and a crucial series this weekend in Fort Worth, Thompson had to rotate through five pitchers to ensure the staff is fresh for TCU.

Sophomore Mason Marriott started the game and allowed one earned run on one hit and two walks in 2.1 innings pitched.

Baylor Athletics - Cole Tompkins

Three of the four runs Grand Canyon scored were unearned.

After some spotty defense in the middle innings, GCU added runs in the fifth and sixth innings off of relievers Cam Caley and Grant Golomb. Both runs were unearned.

Sophomore 3B Hunter Teplanszky lined BU’s lone hit up the middle to lead off the sixth inning but was left stranded.

Baylor’s offense was 0-14 with runners on in the loss.

“Offensively, it was awfully disappointing. I just didn’t think our at-bats were good,” Thompson said.

With two outs in the seventh, freshman SS Kolby Branch made an errant throw to first base. The Antelopes would capitalize the following at-bat with a bloop RBI single into left field off of veteran reliever Anderson Needham to extend their lead to 4-0.

The Bears scored two runs in the ninth courtesy of five free passes from GCU, but Teplanszky struck out with the bases loaded to end the game.

Final: Grand Canyon 4 - Baylor 2

W: Hunter Omlid (1-1) L: Mason Marriott (1-6) S: Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis (5)

WHAT’S NEXT

The Bears (16-31) will return to Baylor Ballpark Wednesday night for a matchup against Lamar (27-20). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.