Baylor Baseball Collects First Series Win of Big 12 Play with 10-3 Victory over Houston

HOUSTON – Baylor baseball (15-11, 4-4) picked up its first Big 12 series win of the season, following a 10-3 victory over Houston (13-13, 1-7) on Saturday afternoon at Schroeder Park.

The Bears were outstanding defensively, as Baylor totaled three double-plays and seemingly everyone in the infield made some sort of diving stop at some point. Shortstop Travis Sanders (RJr.) and third baseman Cade Dodson (So.) both made a handful of incredible plays, and combined for three of the Bears’ 10 base knocks and scored two runs apiece.

Right-handed pitcher Zack Wallace (So.) made his second start of the season since being inserted into the weekend rotation and had a solid outing, allowing three earned runs across five frames, while earning the win. After a three-spot in the first inning, Houston totaled just two base knocks across the final eight innings.

“Our defense was spot-on today; we made five really nice diving plays in the infield,” head coach Mitch Thompson said post-game. “Dodson made two of them. Tyce picked him up on both of his throws and made a couple of diving plays. Travis Sanders made one. The defense was spot on, and it was awesome to watch. It’s fun for us as coaches to see.”

Following Houston’s three runs in the first inning, Wallace settled in and allowed just one hit over the following four frames. He finished the contest after five innings of work and struck out one batter on 80 pitches.

“The big thing for me was Zack Wallace scuffling in the first inning and not handling it well, but then he comes back and goes four shutout innings and gets us through the fifth,” Thompson said. “That’s huge for the club.”

Baylor batted around and broke the game open with a six-spot in the top of the third. The momentum started when Dodson led off the inning with a single, and Sanders got the Bears on the board with an RBI double into the right field corner.

A fielding error from Houston scored Sanders, and back-to-back singles from right fielder Brady Janusek (Fr.) and first baseman Tyce Armstrong (RSr.) loaded the bases with no outs. Janusek and Armstrong hold six-and-five-game hitting streaks, respectively.

Second baseman Brytton Clements (RFr.) drew a bases-loaded walk, and a sharp grounder from center fielder Ty Johnson (5Sr.) got under the glove of Houston’s first baseman to clear the bases and give the Bears an early 6-3 lead; Johnson was the only starter to not record a hit in the win.

With Wallace out of the contest, Baylor’s bullpen — Brayden Bergman (RFr.), RJ Ruais (Jr.) and Luke McLeod (Fr.) — combined for four scoreless frames, only allowing one hit and totaling two punchouts.

Baylor padded its lead with insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings, courtesy of a bloop RBI single from left fielder Pearson Riebock (So.) and an RBI sacrifice fly from Clements, following a triple from designated hitter Robert De La Garza (Jr.); De La Garza finished the contest 2-for-3 at the plate and scored a run.

The Bears added two more runs in the top of the eighth when catcher JJ Kennett (Jr.) poked a double into the right-field corner and Sanders clobbered a two-run homer — his second of the season and 100th career-hit — off the scoreboard in right-center field.

“We took the lead and didn’t sit on it,” Thompson said. “We just kept adding to it. We added one in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the eighth. We took away their desire to even try to come back. Really great job by our pitching staff, throwing up eight straight zeros. Our defense played such a great game, and we scored 10 on offense. Great day.”

Final: Baylor 10, Houston 3

W: Zack Wallace (3-1) L: Kendall Hoffman (1-3)

POTG: Travis Sanders (2-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR)

What’s Next

The Bears (15-11, 4-4) will finish their series against Houston (13-13, 1-7) tomorrow at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, at Schroeder Park. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.