Bears Bash Utah Behind Wallace’s Bounce-Back Gem, Evens Series against Utes

SALT LAKE CITY – Baylor baseball (27-26-13-16) evened its series against Utah (26-23, 12-17) with a 10-3 rout of the Utes on Friday night at America First Ballpark.

Right-handed pitcher Zack Wallace (So.) tossed a gem and earned the win, as he allowed just one earned run and seven hits across 6.1 frames; he struck out five batters and issued two free passes on 90 pitches.

“We challenged him, and he responded; we needed him to be good tonight against a good lineup with a bunch of left-handed hitters,” head coach Mitch Thompson told the Baylor Sports and Media Network post-game.

Thompson continued, “He’s proven he can do it before. He threw a great game against TCU and Arizona State. Wally was good today. He located his stuff and got ahead of hitters. It was great to see.”

Five Bears turned in multi-hit performances, headlined by second baseman Pearson Riebock (So.), who finished 4-for-5 with a solo homer. Baylor launched three long balls in the win, with shortstop Travis Sanders (RJr.) and center fielder Ty Johnson (5Sr.) also going deep.

“We never trailed. Up and down the lineup, our guys swung the bats,” Thompson said of the team’s 10-run performance. “Seven of our nine guys drove in runs, and everyone scored, so everybody contributed.”

Sanders set the tone early with a 464-foot homer on the second pitch of the game; the Copperas Cove native is third on the team in homers (8) and RBIs (38). The Bears added another run in the top of the second on a double from Riebock.

After surrendering seven hits and six earned runs last weekend in just an inning against UCF, Wallace bounced back and was in complete control against the Utes, as he hung three-straight zeroes to open the ballgame.

Utah scraped a run across in the bottom of the fourth, but from that point forward, the Bears scored in each of the next four innings, highlighted by home runs from Johnson and Riebock, as well as run-scoring base knocks from catcher Brayden Buchanan (RSo.), right fielder Brady Janusek (Fr.) and designated hitter Brytton Clements (RFr.). 

Buchanan, Janusek and Clements combined to go 6-for-13 at the plate with three extra-base hits, and each scored a run.

In relief of Wallace, left-handed pitcher Stefan Stahl (Sr.) made his first appearance on the mound since April 3 after recovering from an injury and recorded two easy outs.

Righty Brayden Bergman (RFr.) walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth and allowed a two-run single before veteran Grayson Murry (Sr.) entered to get the final four outs of the contest.

Final: Baylor 10, Utah 3

W: Zack Wallace (5-5) L: Payton Riske (4-4)

POTG: Zack Wallace (6.1 IP, 7 H, R, ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 26 BF, 90 TP, 57 ST)

What’s Next

The Bears (27-26-13-16) will finish their series against Utah (26-23, 12-17) at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 16, at America First Ballpark. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.