Baylor Baseball Sweeps Rainy Sunday Set, Wins Series over No. 24 Texas Tech

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (7-12, 2-4) picked up its first conference series win of the season with two victories over No. 24 Texas Tech (14-6, 2-4) on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark.

After losing on Friday night, 2-0, and playing just over three innings of Saturday’s contest, inclement weather forced the second game of the series and the series finale to both be played on Sunday.

In the pair of wins, the Bears got fantastic performances on the mound and limited a talented Red Raiders batting order to just three runs across the final two games. In the Sunday set, Baylor outscored Texas Tech 12-to-3 and outhit them 18-to-9.

“That’s a really good hitting ballclub,” head coach Mitch Thompson said after the win. “That’s a team that’s leading the country in certain categories, and they will tear you up. We had the wind to our advantage, and the wind helped us at times; there’s no question about it. But to run out there and go 14-plus innings of freshmen pitching, that’s exciting. They handled themselves against a really good club.”

Game Two

Baylor picked up its first conference win of the season with a 5-1 defeat of No. 24 Texas Tech in the rain-resumed game Sunday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark.

In the victory, righty Collin McKinney (RFr.) delivered a quality start, and designated hitter Wesley Jordan (Jr.) and second baseman Mason Greer (Sr.) added home runs and combined for five runs batted in.

Baylor Athletics

DH Wesley Jordan (Jr.) crushed a 476-foot two-run homer in the first inning of Baylor’s 5-1 victory in Game Two.

The Bears struck in the bottom of the first inning when Jordan destroyed a 476-foot two-run homer well over the scoreboard in left-center field for his third long ball of the season.

“It was a fastball up, and I didn’t try to do too much,” Jordan said. “I got it, and it was really fun [to watch].”

In the second, center fielder Ty Johnson (Jr.) lined a single up the middle to put runners on the corners with two outs. In the following at-bat, Greer joined in on the home run party with a three-run shot of his own to give Baylor a 5-0 lead.

An extended rain delay forced McKinney’s afternoon to end early after striking out five and allowing just three base runners across 3.2 scoreless frames. When play resumed on Sunday afternoon, lefty RJ Ruais (Fr.) was on the bump for the Bears.

“That experience is something that you start gaining, and with that experience, you’re building confidence and understanding that you can compete and how to keep getting better,” Thompson said of the young arms. “That’s what we’ll be working on. I’m proud of [our young pitchers]. They are showing up, and that’s exciting for the future.”

An error by Tyriq Kemp (Jr.) at shortstop allowed the Red Raiders to score their lone run of the contest in the fifth. Aside from the unearned run, Ruais and veteran right-handed pitcher Patrick Hail (RJr.) combined for seven strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work out of the bullpen.

“With a five-run lead like that and my offense taking care of me, it was nice to be able to go out there and compete and put the ball in there and let them hit it and play with a lead,” Ruais said.

Final (Game Two): Baylor 5, No. 24 Texas Tech 1

W: RJ Ruais (1-0) L: Mac Heuer (2-1)

POTG: Wesley Jordan (2-for-4; HR, R, 2 RBI)

Game Three

In the rubber match on late Sunday afternoon, the Bears pushed past No. 24 Texas Tech, 7-2, to clinch their first conference series win and second series win of the season.

Baylor Athletics

In his second collegiate start, LHP Mason Green (Fr.) tossed six scoreless frames.

In his second collegiate start on the mound, lefty Mason Green (Fr.) was phenomenal against the talented Red Raiders lineup. In six innings of work, Green struck out three, didn’t allow a single run, surrendered just two hits and picked up his first career win.

“[Green] got [Texas Tech] to take a bunch of swings that they didn’t really want to take, and we got a bunch of outs on them,” Thompson said. “He was fantastic. To be six innings into the game and have a pitch count in the 60s – that’s pretty good. That’s the kind of guy that can go finish one for you.”

Jordan continued his hot weekend with a single through the left side to open the second inning. A few at-bats later, left fielder Daniel Altman (Sr.) lined an RBI single into right-center field. Altman ended the contest going 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs and drew a team-leading two walks.

With the bases loaded in the following frame, right fielder Enzo Apodaca (RJr.) smoked an RBI sacrifice fly into center field to give Baylor an early 2-0 lead. The wind in the series finale significantly handcuffed BU’s batting order, holding up multiple home runs at the left field warning track.

In the fifth, Greer extended the Bears' lead to 3-0 with an RBI double down the right-field line, scoring Johnson from first base.

After the second extended rain delay of the weekend, play resumed an hour and a half later in the top of the seventh inning with righty Stephen Sepulveda (Fr.) on the mound. Against Sepulveda, the Red Raiders cut into the BU lead, 3-1, on an RBI groundout from second baseman TJ Pompey (Fr.). 

But in the bottom of the seventh, the Bears added four insurance runs to ice the game and the series victory. With the bases loaded, Jordan was plunked, and third baseman Hunter Teplanszky (Jr.) delivered an RBI single into left field. Altman and second baseman Chase Womack (Fr.) also came through with RBI groundouts in the frame.

Veteran lefty Kobe Andrade (Sr.) entered in relief of Sepulveda and got the final five outs of the ballgame.

“[This series] showed that our pitchers are here,” Jordan said. “They had a great weekend, and it was really fun to see. If we can pitch like that and hit like that, we can compete with anybody, so we’re going to build on [this weekend] for sure.”

Final (Game Three): Baylor 7, No. 24 Texas Tech 2

W: Mason Green (1-1) L: Jack Washburn (1-1)

POTG: Mason Green (6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 R, BB, 3 K, 67 pitches)

WHAT’S NEXT

Baylor baseball (7-12) will hit the road for a midweek matchup on Tuesday against Sam Houston (13-7) at Don Sanders Stadium. The first pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.