Apodaca Homers, Bailey Deals as Baylor Earns Shutout Win over UTSA, 5-0

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (4-0) earned its fourth straight victory to start the season with a 5-0 win over UTSA (1-3) on a cold, rainy Tuesday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark.

The middle infield duo of second baseman Jack Little (RSo.) and shortstop Tyriq Kemp (Sr.) led the Bears’ offense and combined for six of the team’s nine hits.

Baylor used five different pitchers in the win and struck out 12 Roadrunners while limiting UTSA to eight hits and no runs; it was the Bears’ first shutout victory since March 14, 2023, against Rice.

“Every guy that we ran out there threw strikes; they competed well with good stuff. It was good to see Carson Bailey get out there and get his first start — I thought he handled it well; it was a tough day [weather-wise],” head coach Mitch Thompson said post-game.

“[Caleb] Bunch came in and threw strikes. Caleb Jameson got his feet wet. It was good to see RJ [Ruais] get back out there and do well. Gabe [Craig] was great. I was glad to get the shutout at the end; the guys fought hard for it.”

Baylor Athletics - Jack Compton

LHP Carson Bailey (Fr.) has allowed one hit across four innings pitched so far this season.

Little opened the bottom of the first inning with a bang when he doubled into the left-center field gap. Later in the first, left fielder Wesley Jordan (Sr.) plated the run with an RBI ground out to second base; Jordan has a team-high eight RBIs through four games.

Left-handed pitcher Carson Bailey (Fr.) made his first career start on Tuesday; he tossed three scoreless frames and fanned five batters.

Bailey, a high-profile freshman from Richardson, Texas, made his collegiate debut on Opening Day in relief of Friday’s starter and reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, Ethan Calder (Jr.). Bailey has allowed just one hit across four innings on the mound so far this spring.

Despite the harsh weather conditions, right fielder Enzo Apodaca (RSr.) lined a two-run homer 367 feet over the right field wall — his first of the season — to extend Baylor’s lead to 3-0 in the third inning. 

The Bears added another run in the fourth inning after a costly throwing error from UTSA’s shortstop, Ty Hodge (Jr.), scored center fielder Ty Johnson (Sr.) from second base.

Northwestern State transfer righty Caleb Bunch (Sr.) entered in relief of Bailey and threw two scoreless innings. Paris JC transfer left-handed pitcher Caleb Jameson (Jr.) made his Baylor debut and tossed two shutout innings.

In the sixth inning, Kemp poked a two-out double down the left field line for his third hit of the afternoon, tying a career-high. One at-bat later, Little plated the run with a bloop single into center field; Little finished the afternoon 3-for-5 at the plate.

“He brings so much to the table because he’s a strong competitor,” Thompson said of Little. “He loves to play the game, and I mean he loves to play the game. He wants to play fast and get after it.”

Lefty RJ Ruais (So.) threw a scoreless frame, and right-handed pitcher Gabe Craig (RSr.) closed the contest with a shutout inning.

Final: Baylor 5, UTSA 0

W: Carson Bailey (1-0) L: James Hubbard (0-1)

POTG: Jack Little (3-for-5, 2B, 2 R, RBI)

WHAT’S NEXT

The Bears (4-0) will welcome Gonzaga (1-2) for a three-game series this weekend at Baylor Ballpark. The first pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.