Baseball Hangs on to Defeat UTSA, 10-8

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball now has its longest win streak since 2018 after its 10-8 victory over UT-San Antonio at Baylor Ballpark on Tuesday. The Bears (11-4) have won nine-straight games following the win over the Roadrunners (5-7).

With an eventful first inning, UTSA struck first with a two-run home run. The Bears responded with five runs in home-half of the frame. The rally was started with a leadoff single from second-year freshman Jared McKenzie and back-to-back doubles from second-year freshman Tre Richardson and fifth-year senior Andy Thomas to tie things up at 2-2. The inning continued with second-year freshman Kyle Nevin coming through with a two-RBI single and another RBI-single from first baseman Chase Wehsener to put BU up 5-2 after one.

The Roadrunners tied things up at 5-5 in the top of the third inning, however, second-year freshman Cade Currington responded with his first-career home run to make it 6-5.

In the fourth, the Bears furthered their lead after Richardson hit his second double of the night to advance junior newcomer Jack Pineda to third. In the next at-bat, Thomas smacked his fourth home run of the season over center field to score three. After four innings, Baylor led 9-5.

BU added another run in the fifth as McKenzie hit Baylor’s third homerun of the night and his team-leading sixth of the season. UTSA added a run in the sixth to make it 10-6.

In the eighth inning, the Roadrunners trimmed their deficit to two after a two-run home run, however, in the ninth, fifth-year senior closer Luke Boyd shut the door to seal the 10-8 win.

Jacob Ashkinos (2-0) picked up his second win in relief after hurling 2.2 innings, while Boyd (3) earned his third save of the year. UTSA reliever Simon Miller (0-1) was tabbed with his first loss of the season.

NOTES

• Baylor is 9-0 at the Baylor Ballpark

• The nine-game win streak is the longest for BU since April 15 – May 11, 2018 (13 games).

• Currington hit his first career homerun.

• Thomas belted his fourth home run of the season, 12th of his career.

• McKenzie hit his team-leading sixth home run of the year.

• Richardson set a new career-high with two doubles.

• Ashkinos had a season-high with four strikeouts.

• Boyd picked up his third save in 2021.

• 1-4 in the BU lineup all had two hits apiece on the night.

QUOTE FROM COACH ROD
“It’s a big win because UTSA is a really good program. They did a really good job down at LSU taking those guys to the brink and they came in here with a fight and that’s a really big deal for their program so they’re going to win a lot of ball games. I thought our guys just did a good job, they came out and they battled they continued to have really great at bats throughout the game. They just gutted one out tonight and it was a good win.”

WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor will host Prairie View A&M tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark.