Armstrong’s Blast, Perez’s Heroics Lift Baylor to 12-Inning Comeback Win over UTSA

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (21-15) walked off UTSA (25-12) in a hard-fought, come-from-behind thriller, 10-9, that spanned nearly five hours across 12 innings on Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark.

Trailing by two runs going into the bottom of the 12th, first baseman Tyce Armstrong (RSr.) clubbed a game-tying two-run homer and designated hitter Dylan Perez (Fr.) later hit the game-winning single. Armstrong and Perez combined for six hits and seven RBIs in the victory. 

Baylor ended up out-hitting an incredibly talented UTSA lineup, 15-to-10, and was extremely efficient when batting with runners on (6-for-16) and with runners in scoring position (5-for-12).

On the mound, 10 different Baylor arms totaled 218 pitches. The Bears did a remarkable job limiting damage, as UTSA left 16 runners on base, but struggled mightily with command on Tuesday night, as they combined to issue a season-high 15 free passes. The defense didn’t have its best outing either, as it racked up three crucial errors

“I’m going home with a big smile on my face,” head coach Mitch Thompson told the Baylor Sports and Media Network post-game. “There were so many different guys that contributed to this thing. We had two, four, six, eight and 10 pitchers touch the mound today. We had some big, big swings of the bat. We had some unbelievable plays on defense.”

Thompson added, “We didn’t play clean all the way through — walked too many guys, kicked it around a little bit — but there’s a lot of fight in these guys, and we just beat a really good ballclub. To come back from behind to do it says a lot about their heart.”

The game got off to a rocky opening as right-handed pitcher Luke McLeod (Fr.) made his first-ever start and immediately surrendered a leadoff double and a four-pitch walk to put two runners aboard with no outs. McLeod seemed to settle in and looked poised to get out of the jam, but back-to-back fielding errors put the Roadrunners ahead, 2-0.

The Bears responded in the bottom of the first with a four-spot, highlighted by RBI base knocks from Armstrong, Perez and catcher JJ Kennett (Jr.).

UTSA ran through three separate pitchers to try and halt Baylor’s momentum, but managed to finally get out of the inning after Kennett was thrown out at home trying to advance two bases on a wild pitch.

Center fielder Bo Caraway (Fr.) showed off his speed in the second inning with a single to shortstop and advanced all the way to third base, advancing on a passed ball, as well as swiping a bag. Shortstop Travis Sanders (RJr.) plated him on an RBI sacrifice fly. Caraway finished the contest 2-for-5, which was the third multi-hit game of his young career.

The Roadrunners capitalized on some defensive miscues from the Bears, as well as some free passes, adding a run in the third and two in the top of the fifth.

Armstrong clobbered a solo shot in the bottom of the third, and right fielder Brady Janusek (Fr.) lined a sharp two-out, RBI single into center field to extend Baylor’s lead to 7-5 in the bottom of the sixth. Armstrong leads the team in home runs (14) and RBIs (43).

After a clean seventh inning, lefty RJ Ruais (Jr.) came back out for the eighth and issued back-to-back walks, and not even Baylor’s super reliable closer, Caleb Bunch (5Sr.), could get the Bears out of the jam as a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt loaded the bases with no outs.

One hit and one sacrifice fly later, the game was tied at seven apiece, and it was knotted up until the top of the 12th. Right-handed pitcher Caldwell McFaddin (Fr.) did a commendable job in relief to keep the Bears in the contest, as he went a career-long 2.1 frames and allowed just one hit while punching out two batters.

With a runner on second base and one out, Cayden Baker (RFr.) allowed the go-ahead run to score on an RBI single and later loaded the bases and walked home a run; veteran Luke DeVasher (Jr.) entered in his place and recorded the final out of the inning.

The game appeared all but over, as the Bears trailed 9-7 heading into the bottom of the 12th, and UTSA had its best arm on the mound, side-winder Sam Simmons (Sr.). After cruising through three frames without allowing a hit, Janusek poked a one-out single into right field before Armstrong’s 411-foot game-tying home run. 

Third baseman Brytton Clements (RFr.) then pierced a single through the right side, chasing Simmons out of the contest before Perez’s ultimate walk-off single. Clements also tallied three base knocks in the contest, which was his ninth multi-hit game of the season, but the first three-hit game of his career.

Final (12 Innings): Baylor 10, UTSA 9

W: Luke DeVasher (1-1) L: Sam Simmons (6-3)

POTG: Tyce Armstrong (3-for-6, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR, K)

What’s Next

The Bears (21-15, 8-7) will face the rival TCU Horned Frogs (22-14, 8-7) for a crucial three-game set this weekend. The first game of the series is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 17, at Baylor Ballpark. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.