NO. 12 BASEBALL FALLS TO TEXAS A&M

WACO, Texas – Despite a ninth inning rally where the Bears brought the game-tying run to the plate, Baylor lost its opening game in the 2019 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic to Texas A&M 5-2 Friday night at Minute Maid Park.

Baylor (8-1) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning after Richard Cunningham doubled to lead off the game, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Davis Wendzel sacrifice fly.

But, Texas A&M (9-2) answered right back with a first-pitch lead-off home run by Bryce Blaum off of Baylor starter Hayden Kettler in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1.

After allowing the first-inning run, Texas A&M starter, left-handed John Doxakis had things going, striking out 12 batters in eight innings of work, holding the Bears scoreless through his final seven frames.

The Aggies opened their lead in the fourth inning as they plated four runs. Braden Shewmake hit a pivotal two-run homer that looked to not clear the stands, but was ruled a home run. Kettler walked three batters and allowed two more runs before striking out Blaum to get out of the jam.

Right-hander Jimmy Winston entered in the fifth for the Bears and threw three scoreless innings in relief. He matched a career high with three strikeouts and extended his scoreless innings streak to seven.

The Bears threatened to score in the sixth as Kyle Harper found himself in scoring position with Nick Loftin at the plate, but Doxakis snared a sharp groundball that was hit back up the middle to retire Loftin and escape trouble.

Baylor had a chance at a big inning as Wendzel led off the seventh with a single, but he was erased on a double play.

Right-handed reliever Daniel Caruso completed a three-up-three-down eighth inning for the Bears and got the bats back up to the plate trailing 5-1 in the ninth.

The Bears got to A&M reliever Kasey Kalich in the ninth, as Harper started things with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch with Cunningham batting. Cunningham would then be hit-by-a-pitch to give the Bears two on with no one out. Loftin struck out, but  a Wendzel RBI single cut the Aggies’ lead to 5-2. Kalich buckled down to strike out back-to-back Bears, stranding two baserunners and closing things out for the Aggies.

The loss snaps Baylor’s eight-game win streak to open the season, the third-longest season-opening win streak in program history.

The Bears will play Rice in their second game of the tournament on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Minute Maid Park.

NOTES

*The Bears have recorded an extra-base hit in all nine games this season.

*Baylor has been hit-by-a-pitch 23 times this season, placing them in the top-10 nationally.

*Davis Wendzel leads the Big 12 in batting average (.529).

*Wendzel leads the team in RBI (12) and stolen bases (6), a career high.

*Jimmy Winston tied his career high with three strikeouts.

*Winston’s last 7.0 innings pitched have been scoreless, including his last four appearances.

*Daniel Caruso recorded a 1-2-3 eighth inning with one strikeout, his third scoreless appearance of the season. He has yet to allow a run on the year.

*Wendzel has hit safely in all nine games this season and has reached base at least twice in every game.

*Josh Bissonette and Kyle Harper have six-game hitting streaks.

*Bissonette extended his on-base streak to 16 games, tying him for the team lead with Shea Langeliers.

*Richard Cunningham has a five-game on-base streak.

*Wendzel recorded his seventh multi-hit game of the season and fourth multi-RBI game.

*Harper recorded his fourth multi-hit game of 2019.

STAT OF THE DAY
2 – Davis Wendzel has reached base at least twice in every game this season.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
On battling back…
“This is just game nine out of over 50 that we will play this year. It was the first time we have faced a left-handed starter this season. To really battle back and bring the game-tying run to the plate in the ninth, that’s what you want to see in a game like this.”

- Baylor head coach Steve Rodriguez

WHAT'S NEXT
The Bears will take on the Rice Owls tomorrow at 3 p.m. as part of the 2019 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic.