Baylor Baseball: Late Runs Propel BSB to 9-5 Win Over OU

[Rhodes, Zach]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 20, 2021

Late Runs Propel Baseball to 9-5 Win Over OU
The Bears put up four runs in the eighth to seal the win
Media Link: https://baylorbea.rs/37RVUDI
For more information contact: Zach Rhodes, 919-247-7585, Zach_Rhodes at baylor.edu

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.

NOTES
• The Bears are 23-4 at Baylor Ballpark this season.
• After starting Big 12 play 1-5, BU is now 11-11.
• BU evened the season series with OU, avenging the loss at the Round Rock Classic on Feb. 28.
• Baylor has scored in the first inning in each of the last five games. BU is outscoring opponents now 56-19 in the first frame.
• BU is outscoring opponents 41-17 in the eighth inning.
• BU 1-8 batters each finished the game with at least one hit.
• Thomas hit his 11th home run of the season and 21st of his career.
• Thomas has a team-leading 58 RBI of the season after finishing with four on the night.
• Thomas’ 58 RBI are the most for a BU batter since 2012 where Josh Ludy had 71 on the season.
• McKenzie smacked his ninth home run of the year.
• McKenzie finished 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI.
• Boyd earned his first win of the season.

QUOTE FROM COACH ROD
“Andy Thomas’ home run got everything off on the right foot. We’re going up against Jason Ruffcorn, All-American, converted closer to starter, just an unbelievable pitcher with all the accolades that he’s received that are very warranted. I'll tell you what, our guys did a great job pushing him to get his pitch count elevated and next thing you know we get guys on base and put him in some tough innings. I think there was one or two innings where we didn’t have guys on base and he really had to bear down. There were some aggressive innings where he actually had to work. But our guys did a phenomenal job working at bats and not swinging at stuff that we shouldn’t swing at. It was pretty impressive what our guys did, especially when we made a couple mistakes.

WHAT’S NEXT
The Bears and Sooners will play game two tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark. The game was moved up due to incoming weather.

To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor baseball, follow the team on Facebook (Baylor Baseball), Twitter (@BaylorBaseball) and Instagram (@BaylorBaseball).


-BaylorBears.com-

Zach Rhodes | Associate Director of Athletics Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 919-247-7585 | O: 254-710-3784

[signature_1317349098]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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