Bats Cool Off as Baylor Baseball Drops Midweek Matchup to No. 20 DBU, 8-5

WACO, Texas –  Baylor baseball (4-8) came up short in its midweek matchup against No. 20 Dallas Baptist (11-1), 8-5, Tuesday evening at Baylor Ballpark.

After an offensive explosion over the weekend against Oral Roberts where the Bears put up a combined 31 runs, the bats were kept cold versus the talented Patriots pitching staff.

Baylor Athletics

Baylor had plenty of opportunities against DBU but went 0-for-17 with runners on and 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

Against DBU, Baylor mustered just four base knocks but was able to draw 10 walks. While the hits were hard to come by in Tuesday’s loss, the Bears had plenty of baserunners but went 0-for-17 with runners on and 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

“It’s pretty frustrating because we had plenty of opportunities,” head coach Mitch Thompson said after the defeat. “That was disappointing. [DBU] gave us some things, they hit us, they walked us, we drew some walks and had some quality at-bats to make that happen, but we couldn’t do enough offensively to really get into the game.”

In the third inning, DBU added three runs off Tanner Duke (RFr.), including a two-run homer from catcher Grant Jay (So.), the former Freshman of the Year in Conference USA. It was Jay’s seventh long-ball off the season.

In his second career midweek start, Duke struck out three and surrendered five hits and three earned runs across three innings.

“Tanner Duke was really good for the first two innings,” Thompson said. “[In the third], he gives up a two-out, two-run homer to a guy that can flat-out hit. Those are big runs, but he pitched well.”

The Bears responded in the bottom of the third when center fielder Ty Johnson (Jr.), who had missed the four previous games with an injury, scored on a wild pitch. In the fourth, right fielder Enzo Apodaca (RJr.) drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the Patriots lead to 3-2.

Even with the two runs, Baylor had the bases juiced in the second, third and fourth innings but couldn’t get a timely hit and started the contest 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Baylor Athletics

In his second career midweek start, RHP Tanner Duke (RFr.) struck out three and surrendered three earned runs across three innings.

“We just didn’t swing the bat well enough,” Thompson said. “They made enough pitches – give Dallas Baptist some credit. [DBU] didn’t help us a lot defensively; we hit some balls hard, but we hit it at them at times. We just didn’t do enough [offensively].”

Out of the bullpen in relief of Duke, lefty Kobe Andrade (Sr.) tossed two scoreless frames and punched out three. DBU extended its lead to 7-2 with a run off lefty RJ Ruais (Fr.) and three runs off veteran reliever Grant Golomb (Sr.).

The Bears added runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, but it wasn’t enough.

With runners on the corners in the seventh, Patriots pitcher Jerrod Jenkins (So.) sailed an attempted pick-off throw into right field to score first baseman Will Pendergrass (RJr.).

In the eighth, Johnson roped a double down the left field line, and later in the inning, Apodaca lined an RBI sacrifice fly into left field to score Johnson. In the ninth, left fielder Kade Fletcher (RJr.) scored second baseman Daniel Altman (Sr.) with an RBI groundout.

With a runner on third and two outs, pinch-hitter Mason Greer (Sr.) struck out swinging to end the ballgame.

Final: Dallas Baptist 8 - Baylor 5

W: Connor Benge (1-0) L: Tanner Duke (0-1) S: Jerrod Jenkins (1)

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

WHAT’S NEXT

Baylor baseball (4-8) will open conference play with a road series against the Houston Cougars (8-4) this weekend. The first pitch is on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Schroeder Park and will be streamed on ESPN+.