Riebock Collects First Career Homer En Route to 9-2 Baylor Win over Sam Houston

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (13-3) extended its win streak to five games and rounded out its homestand with a 9-2 victory over Sam Houston (3-13) on Tuesday evening at Baylor Ballpark.

In front of the largest crowd (2,382) versus a non-conference opponent in head coach Mitch Thompson’s three-year tenure, the Bears delivered double-digit hits (14) for the seventh time this season while nine different Baylor arms combined to fan 11 Bearkats and issued just two walks.

“Our guys were talking about it before the game started,” Thompson said of the large crowd. “They said, ‘Look at the crowd. Look at the people in here. This is going to be exciting.’ I keep telling them that if we win, they’ll show up. They’ll pack this place. I’ve seen it. It’s time that we start doing it. I was really proud of the crowd and thankful for them.”

Third baseman Pearson Riebock (Fr.) reached base in four of his five plate appearances and collected his first collegiate home run in the contest. In addition to Reibock, five other Bears put together multi-hit performances: Wesley Jordan (Sr.), Hunter Simmons (RSr.), Travis Sanders (RSo.), Cortlan Castle (Sr.) and Tyriq Kemp (Sr.).

“It’s really cool seeing the whole team come together — we’re all one,” Riebock said. “The bats were hot tonight, and the pitching was hot.”

Simmons led off the second inning with a double down the left field line, and Riebock followed it up with his first career homer — a two-run shot to right field. Riebock currently boasts a six-game hitting streak, the second-longest on the team.

“I was hoping to get one,” Riebock noted of his home run. “I’m trying to hit the ball as hard as I can to the middle of the field. Whenever I hit it, I was like, ‘Man. I really hope no one robs this one.’”

Later in the frame, the Bears had an opportunity to break the game open with the bases loaded, but Jack Little (RSo.) struck out looking, and Enzo Apodaca (RSr.) weakly popped up to second base. Baylor finished Tuesday evening with seven runners left on base and has stranded 58 aboard over the last five games.

The Bearkats punched back in the fourth inning when shortstop Jace Martinez (So.) crushed a triple to center field off lefty Stefan Stahl (Jr.) and later came around to score. Martinez finished with three of the nine total Bearkat hits.

In the bottom of the frame, Baylor responded when Little poked a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Sanders from second base. Little is tied for second on the team with 17 RBIs. Meanwhile, Sanders has picked up five total base knocks across his last two starts.

Castle sparked the batting order in the sixth inning with a double into the left field corner that shortstop Kemp followed with an RBI single through the right side. Kemp later came around to score on a Sam Houston throwing error.

Castle closed the contest 2-for-2 at the plate for his first multi-hit game of the season. Defensively, Castle also threw two Bearkats out, who were attempting to swipe a bag.

Baylor added four more runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by RBI base knocks from Jordan and Simmons.

Nine different arms — Caleb Jameson (RSo.), Drew Leach (RSr.), Stahl, Camden Clewett (Fr.), Patrick Hail (6Sr.), Caleb Bunch (Sr.), Will Glatch (Sr.), RJ Ruais (Fr.) and Gabe Craig (RSr.) — saw time on the mound in Baylor’s win, with Leach earning his first victory of the spring after 1.1 scoreless frames in which he collected two strikeouts. Hail tossed two scoreless innings and struck out three.

“I’ve been at Baylor for a long time, and I love the way this club plays,” Leach said. “Tonight really showed that. We just hit. We will continue to hit. Our bullpen runs out there and throws seven zeros. That’s a really good day — hard to complain about that.”

 

Final: Baylor 9, Sam Houston 2

W: Drew Leach (1-0) L: Noah Kendrick (0-2)

POTG: Pearson Riebock (2-for-3, HR, 2B, RBI, R, 2 BB, K)

WHAT’S NEXT

The Bears (13-3) will travel to Lawrence to open conference play against the Kansas Jayhawks (14-2) at 6 p.m. on Friday at Hoglund Ballpark. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.