STILLWATER, Okla. – Baylor baseball (12-10, 2-3) had its series evened at one apiece following a 5-3 defeat to Oklahoma State (15-8, 1-4) on Saturday night at O’Brate Stadium.
Shortstop Travis Sanders (RJr.), left fielder Pearson Riebock (So.) and center fielder Ty Johnson (5Sr.) each recorded multi-hit contests and combined for six of Baylor’s base knocks.
The Bears, however, couldn’t come through with the big hit in the loss, leaving 10 runners on base and going 4-for-21 (.190) with runners on and 2-for-15 (.133) with runners in scoring position.
Right-hander Zack Wallace (So.) got the start for the Bears, stepping in for lefty Stefan Stahl (Sr.), who missed his third consecutive outing. Wallace competed throughout the contest, keeping Baylor within reach as he surrendered four runs, all via home runs, over 4.2 innings against a powerful Oklahoma State lineup.
Relievers Luke McLeod (Fr.) and Brayden Bergman (RFr.) combined for four strikeouts and 3.1 innings out of the bullpen.
“Our pitching gave us a shot, but we gave up three long balls, and that hurt us at the end, and we also hurt ourselves a run or so defensively and in a 5-3 game, it’s something that can hurt you,” head coach Mitch Thompson said post-game on the Baylor Sports and Media Network.
Thompson continued, “We’ll keep trying to get better. The guys had a lot of fight. I thought our pitchers battled their tails off. I thought our guys were competing their tails off at the plate. We’ll keep getting after it. We’re disappointed we didn’t win, but it’s not for a lack of effort.”
To lead off the bottom of the second, Wallace hung a breaking ball, and third baseman Aidan Meola (Sr.) took advantage, sending a solo home run over the left-center field wall, giving the Pokes an early 1-0 lead. Meola finished the contest 2-for-4 at the plate.
The Bears had a chance to tie the game at one apiece in the following frame after a one-out single from Sanders would have put runners on the corners, but he was thrown out at second base trying to stretch it. Right fielder Brady Janusek (Fr.) struck out to end the inning, leaving catcher JJ Kennett (Jr.) stranded at third base.
In the bottom of the third, Oklahoma State’s leadoff runner reached after skying a pop-up in the infield that landed in between four Bears just below the pitcher’s mound. The Pokes made Baylor pay for the mistake, with a two-run homer from shortstop Brock Thompson (So.) in the following at-bat.
After eight dominant shutout innings against the Bears last May, fortune favored Baylor in the top of the fifth against Oklahoma State’s starting pitcher, Mario Pesca (Sr.). Riebock led off with a bloop single into right field, and a perfectly executed hit-and-run from Kennett put runners on the corners with no outs.
Johnson plated Kennett with a sharp single past second base, and Janusek later scored Kennett with an RBI dribbler down the third base line, cutting into Oklahoma State’s lead, 3-2.
The Pokes punched back with another solo shot off Wallace, who exited the contest after tossing 4.2 frames. He surrendered seven hits and four earned runs, while striking out four batters on 81 pitches, 49 of which were strikes; his ERA sits at 3.80 on the season.
Pesca finally exited the contest in the top of the sixth, following 114 pitches, but the Bears had no success against OSU’s right-handed reliever, Kai Fyke (Jr.), who allowed just one batter to reach base in 2.1 innings of work.
Oklahoma State added an insurance run off Baylor right-handed pitcher McLeod in the bottom of the seventh, extending its lead to 5-2. McLeod recorded five outs and collected two strikeouts. Bergman replaced McLeod and also recorded five outs but didn’t allow a hit and struck out two.
Right-hander Stormy Rhodes (So.) entered in the top of the ninth to try to seal it for the Pokes, but allowed a leadoff double down the right-field line to Johnson. The Bears capitalized moments later when an error by center fielder Kollin Ritchie (Jr.) brought Johnson home, cutting Oklahoma State’s lead to 5–3.
With two outs and the tying run at the plate and the momentum seemingly back in Baylor’s dugout, designated hitter Hunter Snow (RFr.) struck out on four pitches to end the potential comeback. The Bears punched out 12 times in the defeat.
Final: Oklahoma State 5, Baylor 3
W: Mario Pesca (2-2) L: Zack Wallace (2-1) S: Stormy Rhodes (1)
POTG: Pearson Riebock (2-for-3, R, HBP)
What’s Next
The Bears (12-10, 2-3) will finish their series against Oklahoma State (15-8, 1-4) at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, at O’Brate Stadium. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
