Bullpen Backs Baylor Baseball’s Series-Clinching Win at No. 12 Arizona

[Calderone, Max]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 29, 2025

Bullpen Backs Baylor Baseball’s Series-Clinching Win at No. 12 Arizona
Bears take 6-3 victory behind 6.2 innings of one-run relief
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

TUCSON, Ariz. – Behind a stellar bullpen outing, Baylor baseball clinched its series at No. 12 Arizona with a 6-3 victory on Saturday night at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz.

The Bears received 6.2 innings of one-run relief from four pitchers who combined to allow just three hits and one unearned run while recording eight strikeouts. Junior right-hander Grayson Murry got the win after tossing a season-high 2.2 scoreless innings, while sixth-year senior closer Gabe Craig picked up his sixth save of the year.

Redshirt senior outfielder Enzo Apodaca sparked the offense with a leadoff triple in his home state and was one of six different Bears to score a run in the victory. Senior catcher Cortlan Castle picked up two knocks and an RBI, as five different BU players drove in a run in the win.

The series-clinching victory marks Baylor’s first road series win against a ranked opponent since the Bears took two of three at No. 5 Texas Tech on April 23-25, 2021, in Lubbock.

THE RUNDOWN
Apodaca kickstarted the offense with a leadoff triple in the top of the first and crossed the plate on senior outfielder Wesley Jordan’s RBI groundout, giving Baylor a quick 1-0 lead. In the second, senior infielder Tyriq Kemp stayed hot with an RBI single, pushing the tally to 2-0, and the Bears added on with Castle’s safety squeeze bunt that scored redshirt sophomore infielder Travis Sanders and made it 3-0.

BU widened the gap in the top of the third, as three more scored on one hit and two Wildcat errors. Jordan crossed the plate on an RBI fielder’s choice from redshirt sophomore infielder Jack Little, then freshman infielder Pearson Riebock hit the pay station on redshirt sophomore outfielder Gavin Brzozowski’s sacrifice fly. A sharp shot off the bat of Sanders that snuck underneath the glove of UA’s third baseman plated Little as the Bears took a 6-0 advantage into the home half.

Arizona got two back in the bottom of the frame after loading the bases and cashing in with a two-out, two-run single, but that’s as much as the Wildcats would get in the inning as redshirt sophomore right-hander Lucas Davenport relieved junior southpaw starter Stefan Stahl and got a fly out to end the inning.

UA threatened for more in the fifth, loading the bases on three walks and scoring once on a BU error, but that’s when Murry came on and got a 6-3 groundout to prevent further damage. The Tyler, Texas, native retired six of the next seven batters he faced, working around a leadoff walk in the seventh to hold off the Wildcats.

In the eighth, senior right-hander Caleb Bunch entered with one away and struck out a pair to strand two UA baserunners. Then, Craig shut the door in the ninth, facing the top of the order and striking out two more on the way to his sixth save of the season.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Tonight’s win marked Baylor’s first series win against a ranked team this season, and first since taking two of three over No. 23 Texas Tech in Waco on March 15-17, 2024.
• This is BU’s first road series win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 5 Texas Tech on April 23-25, 2021, in Lubbock.
• Baylor improved to 6-7 all-time against Arizona and 4-4 in Tucson.
• This is BU’s sixth win against a ranked team under third-year head coach Mitch Thompson.
• Baylor pitchers racked up nine strikeouts for the 15th time this season.
• The Bears are 14-1 this season when striking out nine or more batters.
• Redshirt senior OF Enzo Apodaca extended his on-base streak to 10 games and his hitting streak to eight games.
• Senior OF Wesley Jordan extended his on-base streak to 10 games.
• Redshirt senior DH Hunter Simmons extended his on-base streak to 32 games, dating back to the 2023 season.
• Senior C Cortlan Castle notched his fourth multi-hit game of the season.
• Junior LHP Stefan Stahl made his first-career weekend start, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks with a strikeout in 2.1 innings.
• Redshirt sophomore RHP Lucas Davenport made his third appearance of the season allowing one run or fewer.
• Junior RHP Grayson Murry made his sixth scoreless appearance of the year and picked up two strikeouts for the fourth time this season, improving to 3-0 on the season.
• Senior RHP Caleb Bunch made his seventh scoreless appearance of the year and logged his fourth multi-strikeout outing.
• Sixth-year senior RHP Gabe Craig collected his sixth save of the season with his 10th scoreless appearance and seventh multi-strikeout outing.

STAT OF THE DAY
2021 – This is Baylor’s first series win over a ranked opponent since April 23-25, 2021, at No. 5 Texas Tech.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Mitch Thompson
On the series-clinching win…
“Big night. Played really well. Again, made some big-time plays on defense and did enough early in the game to score six and held on with some big outings on the mound. I couldn’t be more proud of some of those guys, I think they were awesome and it was fun to watch them get out there and compete. I couldn’t be more proud of these guys. Their fight, their heart, their competitiveness – it’s been really fun. If all the fans back home are listening back home on the radio, I know they’re getting a show but they’re missing watching it in person cause they’d be real proud of these guys.”

WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor (19-7, 4-4) goes for the series sweep over No. 12 Arizona (19-7, 5-3) in the Sunday finale, set for 2 p.m. CT from Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz.

To stay up to date on all things Baylor baseball, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorBaseball.



-BaylorBears.com-


__________________________________

Max Calderone | Director of Athletics Communications (Baseball, Football)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-265-1639

[signature_1838716635]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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