No ace, no problem: Baylor takes game one over Oklahoma, 9-5

WACO, Texas – Baylor put up four runs in the eighth inning to come away with game one, 9-5, versus Oklahoma on Thursday night at Baylor Ballpark in Waco, Texas. The Bears (31-16, 11-11 Big 12) never trailed in the game against the Sooners (25-26, 9-13 Big 12). Game two of the series has been moved up to 3 p.m. on Friday.

For the fifth-consecutive game, Baylor scored in the first inning, after back-to-back hits from second-year freshmen Jared McKenzie and Tre Richardson, set up fifth-year senior Andy Thomas who smashed a three-run homer to put the Bears up 3-0.

The Sooners tied things up with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth. The Bears responded in the home-half of the seventh after sophomore Jack Pineda crushed a leadoff triple off the wall and McKenzie smacked his ninth home run of the season to put Baylor ahead, 5-3.

OU had an answer in the top half of the eighth with two runs of its own to make it 5-5. Once again, the Bears battled back, this time with a four-spot in the home-half of the eighth inning. Second-year freshman Kyle Nevin led things off with a single, while in the next at-bat, fourth-year junior Davion Downey ripped an RBI-double off the wall to give BU the 6-5 edge. Baylor added another run after reaching on an error. Two bases-loaded walks capped the inning as BU held the 9-5 advantage going into the ninth.

Fifth-year senior Luke Boyd (1-2) earned his first win of the season after hurling 1.2 innings and striking out two. Baylor true freshman starter Cam Caley threw five innings while allowing three runs on four hits and striking out four. OU reliever, Wyatt Olds (4-6) was tabbed with the loss.