Baylor Bats Stay Hot, Calder Deals in 14-7 Victory to Sweep Houston

HOUSTON – Baylor baseball (16-11, 5-4) earned its first sweep of the season in conference play and first road sweep since 2024 with a 14-7 victory over Houston (13-14, 1-8) on Sunday afternoon at Schroeder Park.

Left-handed pitcher Ethan Calder (Sr.) tied a career-long in innings pitched (7) and earned his second win of the spring, surrendering four earned runs and striking out two batters on 86 pitches. The southpaw threw 21 first-pitch strikes and recorded 12 outs with two or fewer pitches.

Every Bear in the batting order got a base knock today, as Baylor went on to out-hit the Cougars, 13-to-11, and went 9-for-25 (.360) with runners on. The Bears also drew six free passes and benefited from four Houston errors, while swiping eight bags in the win, the highest single-game total since 2006.

Shortstop Travis Sanders (RJr.), right fielder Brady Janusek (Fr.), designated hitter John Youens (RSo.) and catcher JJ Kennett (Jr.) all recorded multiple base knocks and combined to score eight runs. 

“Sweeps aren’t easy and are a dog fight,” head coach Mitch Thompson told the Baylor Sports and Media Network post-game. “I’m proud of the continual fight from the guys. We had enough to get it done.”

Thompson later added, “I’m really proud of Ethan. I thought he was fantastic. He gave us seven good innings. We got 17-plus innings from our starting pitching and only got 10 out of the bullpen.”

After a rough outing last weekend in Stillwater, Calder bounced back on Sunday and gave the Bears an early cushion with four scoreless frames to start the contest, allowing just two base-runners to reach in that span.

Baylor’s batting order, meanwhile, built an early lead with a four-spot in the top of the second, courtesy of some poor defense from Houston that included a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch.

The Cougars didn’t go down without a fight, adding three runs in the bottom of the fifth against Calder on a two-run triple from shortstop Tyler Cox (Sr.), which also scored Cox following a throwing error.

The Bears, however, continued to pad their lead with eight combined runs across the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth innings, highlighted by RBI doubles from third baseman Cade Dodson (So.), as well as Youens.

Houston made things interesting once again when righty Cade Hansen (Sr.) replaced Calder and put three runners aboard without getting an out. The Bears were forced to turn to closer Caleb Bunch (5Sr.) to get out of the eight-inning jam; Bunch allowed a bases-clearing double but settled in and recorded the final six outs of the contest without allowing a run.

Janusek sealed the victory with a two-run homer in the ninth inning, his sixth long ball of the season. Janusek finished the contest 2-for-6 at the plate and scored three runs.

Final: Baylor 14, Houston 7

W: Ethan Calder (2-3) L: Paul Schmitz (2-2)

POTG: Ethan Calder (7 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 29 BF, 86 TP, 57 ST)

What’s Next

The Bears (16-11) will return to Waco to face Tarleton (19-8) at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, at Baylor Ballpark. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.