Baylor Baseball Swept by No. 23 Indiana, Run-Ruled in Sunday Contest, 15-5

WACO, Texas – The No. 23 Indiana Hoosiers (6-1) completed the sweep of Baylor baseball (1-6) with a 15-5 run-rule, eight-inning defeat of the Bears Sunday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark.

In the loss, Baylor racked up three errors and trailed just 4-3 going into the seventh inning before the Hoosiers put up a seven-spot in the frame. The Bears were only outhit, 14-to-11, but the costly seventh proved to be Baylor’s downfall.

Baylor Athletics

Despite having the toughest schedule in the country over the first month, Baylor has dropped to 1-6.

“[Indiana] got after us in the seventh and eighth innings and it’s disappointing the game got away from us because we had a shot,” head coach Mitch Thompson said after the defeat. “We ended up needing six or seven attempts to get that third out in the seventh, and we didn’t get it, then a grand slam, and all of a sudden, the game’s out of hand.”

Veteran Jared Matheson (Sr.) started on the bump for the Bears Sunday. Similar to his first outing against No. 9 Tennessee, Matheson struggled to find the strike zone and issued an early walk. 

Devin Taylor (So.), the Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, then came to the dish and crushed a two-run homer well over the right wall to give the Hoosiers an early 2-0 lead. Taylor finished the series going 7-for-11 at the plate with four extra-base hits.

To open the game for the Bears in the bottom of the first, center fielder Ty Johnson (Jr.) lined a double down the right field line. After advancing to third base on a wild pitch, right fielder Enzo Apodaca (RJr.) brought Johnson home with an RBI sacrifice fly.

Some spotty defense in the second and a solo home run from catcher Brock Tibbitts (Jr.) in the third off right-handed pitcher Patrick Hail (RJr.) allowed the Hoosiers to extend their lead to 4-1.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, second baseman Daniel Altman (Sr.) delivered an RBI single up the middle. With the bases loaded later in the inning, left fielder Kade Fletcher (Jr.) lined an RBI sacrifice fly into center fielder to cut Indiana’s lead to 4-3.

Baylor Athletics

Center fielder Ty Johnson (Jr.) went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double in Sunday’s loss.

Lefty Ethan Calder (So.) was excellent out of the bullpen for the Bears in the middle innings. He didn’t surrender a run in the fourth, fifth or sixth innings but was pulled after running into trouble and putting two aboard in the seventh.

Thompson went through a litany of arms trying to get out of the seventh-inning jam – Gabe Craig (RJr.), Jackson Elizondo (Fr.) and Tanner Duke (RFr.) — but not before the Hoosiers were able to put up a seven-spot in the frame. Indiana’s lineup took full advantage of a defensive miscue and the four free passes that the BU pitchers handed out in the inning.

“It’s not all on the pitching,” Thompson said. “We have to play cleaner defense. We didn’t play well early in the game; if we had, we probably would have had a lead. … We’ve been exposed, and we know that now. There’s no and, ifs or buts about it. I’m glad we’re playing good people. I’m glad they’re exposing us. I want us to get better and start winning ballgames.”

In the bottom of the seventh, first baseman Will Pendergrass (RJr.) singled through the left side to score third baseman Hunter Teplanszky (Jr.) but the Bears still trailed the Hoosiers 11-4.

Taylor added his second home run of the day, and Indiana extended its lead to 15-4 against veteran reliever Will Glatch (Jr.). BU’s offense added a run in the eighth, but no ninth inning was played because the contest had to be finished by 4:45 p.m.

Final: No. 23 Indiana 15 - Baylor 5

W: Ryan Kraft (1-0) L: Jared Matheson (0-1)

POTG: Ty Johnson (3-for-4; 2B, R)

WHAT’S NEXT

Baylor baseball (1-6) is slated to take on Abilene Christian (5-3) at 4 p.m. next Wednesday at Baylor Ballpark.