Baylor Baseball Blown Out in Series Opener by No. 21 West Virginia, 18-5
MORGANTOWN, WV – Baylor baseball (19-21, 9-10) was blown out in the series opener by No. 21 West Virginia (24-17, 12-7), 18-5, Friday night at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
In the loss, the Bears were only outhit, 12-to-8, but the defense combined for four errors. Right-handed pitcher Mason Marriott (Jr.) had his worst start of the year; he allowed eight earned runs and didn’t make it out of the second inning.
Right fielder Enzo Apodaca (RJr.) opened the contest with a solo shot over the right field wall for his fifth home run of the season and first leadoff long ball. Later in the frame, left fielder Wesley Jordan (Jr.) was hit in the helmet by a pitch; he was removed from the contest and did not return.
With Kade Fletcher (RJr.) replacing Jordan at first base, he stole second and scored on an RBI single up the middle from second baseman Daniel Altman (Sr.).
The Bears' early 2-0 lead evaporated after a Mountaineers four-spot in the bottom of the first against Marriott. Baylor moved to 12-and-4 on the year when scoring first.
Marriott surrendered eight earned runs and seven hits across just 1.2 innings tossed. In relief of Marriott, lefty Mason Green (Fr.) was lit up early, allowing four combined runs – three unearned – in the third and fourth innings.
Green settled in afterward, pitching admirably in the middle innings. In 4.1 innings of work, he struck out five and surrendered three hits.
In the third with the bases juiced, Baylor plated two more runs when designated hitter Zach Mazoch (So.) roped a two-run single into right field. A couple of innings later, Fletcher opened the fifth with a double down the left-field line; Altman singled through the left side for his second RBI base knock of the contest.
Things got ugly in the seventh when the Mountaineers poured it on with five runs in the frame, highlighted by a Reed Chumley (Sr.) bases-clearing triple off veteran righty Grant Golomb (Sr.) to extend their lead to 18-5. Three of West Virginia’s nine runs off Baylor’s bullpen were unearned due to defensive miscues.
Final: No. 21 West Virginia 18, Baylor 5
W: Tyler Switalski (2-2) L: Mason Marriott (2-4)
POTG: Enzo Apodaca (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI)
WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor baseball (19-21, 9-10) will continue its series against the No. 21 West Virginia Mountaineers (24-16, 12-7) at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Kendrick Family Ballpark.