Jordan Homers Three Times, Baylor Evens Series against Texas Tech with 18-4 Victory

LUBBOCK, Texas – Baylor baseball (22-12, 6-8) evened its series with a dominating 18-4 win over Texas Tech (10-20, 6-8) on Saturday afternoon at Rip Griffin Park.

Left fielder Wesley Jordan (Sr.) became the first Bear since Shea Langeliers (Omaha, June 1, 2019) to hit three home runs in a single game; Jordan totaled six RBIs in the victory, and his three long balls came in each of the first three innings. He went 4-for-4 at the plate and reached base in all five plate appearances.

Baylor picked up a season-high 21 base knocks and collected eight extra-base hits while going 8-for-22 with runners on. Every player in the starting lineup scored a run and recorded a hit.

The Bears had six players with multi-hit performances — Jordan, Tyriq Kemp (Sr.), Hunter Simmons (RSr.), Pearson Riebock (Fr.), Travis Sanders (RSo.) and Jack Little (RSo.) — and totaled 18 runs, four more than their run total (14) across the last five games combined.

“It’s a big bounce-back win for us,” head coach Mitch Thompson told ESPN Central Texas post-game. “Last night was a disappointing one. Tonight, we bounced back. The guys have been responding like that all year and I’m proud of them.”

Baylor exploded for six runs in the top of the first inning, highlighted by doubles from Kemp and Sanders and home runs from Jordan and Little. Against his former school, Sanders collected a career-high four hits with three RBIs at the plate on Saturday. Little was 2-for-6 with a home run and a double.

“It’s always good to come back and play your former team. It gives you a little more edge and makes you lock in a little more,” Sanders told ESPN Central Texas. “I’m glad to be out here with my teammates and get the win.”

In the following frames, Jordan added a solo shot in the second and crushed a three-run homer in the third, 424 feet over the left-center field fence. Jordan leads the team with eight home runs.

“It’s a funny game sometimes,” Thompson said. “You fight and fight and fight to get something going offensively, and then all of a sudden, you bust out and there’s a bunch of guys swinging the bats well. It was fun to see us jump out on them early.”

Left-handed pitcher Carson Bailey (Fr.) earned his third win of the season, surrendering two earned runs and striking out six across six frames on 92 pitches. Bailey’s earned run average sits at 5.02 on the season.

Veteran righty Caleb Bunch (Sr.) closed the contest with three innings out of the bullpen and earned his second save of the season.

“Carson was great. Bunch was good coming in and getting that three-inning save,” Thompson said. “We did the job today — no question. … Carson going six [innings] was a big deal.”

Saturday’s win marked the second time in April that Baylor’s defense had one error or fewer.
 

Final: Baylor 18, Texas Tech 4

W: Carson Bailey (3-1) L: Zane Petty (0-2) S: Caleb Bunch (2)

POTG: Wesley Jordan (4-4, 3 HR, 4 R, 6 RBI, BB)

WHAT’S NEXT

The Bears (22-12, 6-8) will conclude their series against Texas Tech (10-20, 6-8) on Sunday, April 13, at 1 p.m. at Rip Griffin Park. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.