Baylor Baseball Defeats Youngstown State, 9-7

[Calderone, Max]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 5, 2023

Baylor Baseball Defeats Youngstown State, 9-7
Top three spots combine to go 7-for-13 and score six runs in the win
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (4-8) defeated Youngstown State (3-9) by a final of 9-7 Sunday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark in Waco.

The top three spots in BU’s batting order in freshman INF Kolby Branch, junior LHP/OF Kobe Andrade and junior OF Hunter Simmons combined to go 7-for-13 with six runs scored and three RBIs to lead the charge offensively.

BU benefitted from strong relief outings out of junior RHP Brett Garica, freshman southpaw Ethan Calder, sophomore righty Gabe Craig and junior RHP Grant Golomb, who collected his first-career save.

In a back and forth affair, the Bears were able to put runs across in the late innings thanks in part to a safety squeeze bunt by freshman OF Caleb Bergman and a YSU wild pitch that allowed Andrade to score an insurance run.

THE RUNDOWN
The Penguins opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first after a pair of hits, but Baylor responded with a four-spot in the home half to take an early lead. Simmons singled in Branch, sophomore INF Hunter Teplanszky drove in Andrade with a groundout, then junior INF/OF Cole Posey doubled in a pair for the 4-1 advantage.

YSU countered with two runs in the top of the second to pull within one, but BU held the Penguins at arm’s length with two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame. Simmons drove in his second run of the day with a groundout, then Branch crossed the plate on a wild pitch to make it 6-3.

In the fourth, Baylor tacked on one more thanks to another RBI single off the bat of Simmons. Meanwhile, Garcia was putting up zeros in the early innings, striking out a career-high five in two innings of work.

The Penguins scored the game’s next four runs with one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and another in the seventh, though the Bears’ bullpen was able to minimize the damage. Calder worked around trouble in each of his 2.1 innings on the mound before passing the ball off to Craig who struck out the only two batters he faced.

Teplanszky led off the bottom of the seventh with a double, then moved to third on junior INF Will Pendergrass’ groundout. After Posey walked to put runners at the corners with one away, Bergman laid down a safety squeeze bunt that allowed Teplanszky to score for the go-ahead run at 8-7.

BU added another in the eighth after Andrade doubled to start the inning and moved up on a sacrifice bunt. Another YSU wild pitch allowed Andrade to slide in safely at the plate, giving the Bears some breathing room heading into the ninth.

That’s when Golomb came on and converted his first-career save, striking out the last two he faced to shut the door.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Baylor improves to 3-2 all-time against Horizon League opponents.
• BU pitchers have eclipsed double-digit strikeouts in nine of 12 games this season.
• This is the fifth time that the Bears have struck out at least 13 opposing batters.
• Baylor racked up a season-high five doubles.
• Junior RHP Grant Golomb collected his first-career save, and BU’s first of the year.
• Junior RHP Brett Garcia fanned a career-high five.
• Freshman LHP/OF Ethan Calder worked a personal-best 2.1 innings and earned his first-career win.
• Sophomore RHP Gabe Craig punched out the only two batters he faced, tying his season high.
• Freshman INF Kolby Branch tallied his third-multi hit game of the year with three, including two doubles.
• Branch also extended his on-base streak to 12 games.
• Junior LHP/OF Kobe Andrade also notched his third multi-hit game of the season.
• Nine of Andrade’s 12 hits this year have gone for extra bases, as he tallied his fifth double of the year.
• Junior OF Hunter Simmons picked up his second multi-hit game of the year and drove in a career-high three runs.
• Junior INF/OF Cole Posey drove in two runs for his first multi-RBI effort of the 2023 campaign.
• Posey and sophomore INF Hunter Teplanszky both doubled for the second time this year.

STAT OF THE DAY
13 – Baylor pitchers struck out 13, all in the last seven innings of the game.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Mitch Thompson
On today’s win…
"I thought today was a good ballgame and I appreciate the crowd coming out and getting after it, being here to support us. I know it’s not always easy as we’re growing and developing. I thought our guys pieced together that game on the mound pretty well. Our guys, who haven’t had many, were getting opportunities and I think there were several of them that came through big. I thought Brett Garcia was big in his two innings. I thought that Ethan [Calder], we threw him into about as tough of a situation as you could possibly have with the bases loaded and nobody out, and he limited the damage and pitched well for another inning. Gabe Craig came in and handled them really nice, and followed it up with Grant [Golomb] there at the end, so I’m proud of the way the bullpen responded and I’m proud of some of the young guys. The big four-spot in the first inning was huge, but then Caleb Bergman getting the push bunt down to score the run from third was huge. Freshmen stepping up and doing some good things has been fun.”

Junior RHP Grant Golomb
On closing it down in the ninth…
"It was a really cool thing because I’m used to coming in earlier in the game. That was something that I have grown pretty comfortable with. I’ve gotten really fortunate to watch some of the older guys before me, my freshman year it was Luke Boyd who was just nails. Watching his mentality, especially as a freshman that didn’t play much, was something that I am now trying to teach these younger guys that we can carry with us moving forward.”

Freshman INF Kolby Branch
On the team’s approach right now…
“We’re just trying to keep it all the same, keep a routine. Don’t try and change too much and get out of the element. Just stick with it and trust what you have, that’s the approach. We just have to get back out here and grab a win.”

WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor (4-8) continues its homestand with a Tuesday night tilt on March 5 against Dallas Baptist (7-4). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark.

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 | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (BSB, FB, EQ)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-265-1639

[signature_4210392589]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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