Baylor Earns Ranked Road Series Win with 6-3 Victory over No. 23 Arizona

TUCSON, Ariz. – Baylor baseball (19-7, 4-4) earned its first road-series win over a ranked opponent since 2021 with a 6-3 victory over No. 23 Arizona (19-7, 5-3) on Saturday night at Hi Corbett Field.

The Bears received significant contributions out of the bullpen with four different pitchers combining for eight strikeouts across 6.2 frames while not allowing an earned run. Right-handed pitcher Grayson Murry (Jr.) picked up his third win with 2.2 scoreless innings. Gabe Craig (RSr.) shut the door and collected his conference-leading sixth save of the season.

Baylor out-hit the Wildcats, 7-to-5, and catcher Cortlan Castle (Sr.) was the lone Bear with multiple base knocks. Baylor took an early 6-0 lead after the top of the third inning and never relinquished it.

“We played really well,” head coach Mitch Thompson said post-game to ESPN Central Texas. “Again, made some big-time plays on defense and did enough early in the game to score six and hold on. We had some big outings on the mound. I couldn’t be more proud of some of those guys. I think they were awesome, and it was fun to get out there and watch them compete.”

Right fielder Enzo Apodaca (RSr.) led off the game with a sharp triple into the right field corner, and Wesley Jordan (Sr.) plated the Arizona native on the following at-bat with a ground out to third base. Apodaca leads the team with an eight-game hitting streak.

In the second inning, center fielder Ty Johnson (Sr.) was nailed by a pitch on his hand, and second baseman Travis Sanders (RSo.) reached base on an Arizona throwing error. With Johnson in scoring position, shortstop Tyriq Kemp (Sr.) shot an RBI single into right field.

Castle kept the hot start going with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt down the first base line to score Sanders. Castle finished Saturday 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.

Baylor took advantage of more Arizona defensive miscues in the third inning, adding three more runs to extend its lead to 6-0; the Wildcats totaled three errors on the evening. In the frame, Gavin Brzozowski (RSo.) entered in place of Johnson and collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly.

“Ty got hit in the hand; we’re hoping everything is going to be okay with him, but it’s a little scary,” Thompson said. “Gavin comes in off the bench and immediately sac-fly. That’s a big deal; that’s a run.”

Left-handed pitcher Stefan Stahl (Jr.) made his first weekend start of the season, replacing veteran lefty Bryson Bales (6Sr.), who struggled mightily across his first two starts in conference play.

Stahl was solid, tossing two scoreless frames before running into trouble in the third inning. He issued two free passes and a single before getting pulled in favor of right-handed pitcher Lucas Davenport (RSo.).

With the bases loaded and two outs, Davenport surrendered a two-run single to Arizona catcher Adonys Guzman (Jr.). Stahl closed the contest, allowing two earned runs, two hits and two walks on 42 pitches across 2.1 frames.

The last run either team scored was in the fifth inning when Davenport walked the bases loaded. With two outs and the bases juiced, third baseman Maddox Mihalakis (Jr.) weakly dribbled a ball back to the pitcher, but Davenport spiked a throw to first base and the run scored.

Murry entered into the bases-loaded jam but got out of it unscathed. The Tyler Junior College transfer threw 2.2 frames and surrendered just two baserunners while striking out two batters.

Bunch and Craig, who both pitched in Friday’s 8-5 victory, combined to get the last five outs in Saturday’s win and punched out four Wildcats.

“We knew Stefan [Stahl] would go out there and that we’d get two or three [innings] out of him. Then, we’d go to Davenport, and that was good. Murry really picked us up big-time; he came in there and threw really well for a couple of innings,” Thompson said. “Then we were able to finish it up with Bunch and Craig. Both of those guys were electric. Craig was electric; it was so much fun to see him get out there and get that save.”

Final: Baylor 6, No. 23 Arizona 3

W: Grayson Murry (3-0) L: Owen Kramkowski (3-3) S: Gabe Craig (6)

POTG: Grayson Murry (2.2 IP, H, BB, 2 K, 10 BF, 36 TP, 21 ST)

WHAT’S NEXT

The Bears (19-7, 4-4) will conclude their road series against No. 23 Arizona (19-7, 5-3) at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 30, at Hi Corbett Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.