Rigney, Eight-Run Sixth Fuels Baylor Baseball Past Kansas State in Finale

[Calderone, Max]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 19, 2023

Rigney, Eight-Run Sixth Fuels Baylor Baseball Past Kansas State in Finale
Junior RHP Will Rigney throws three perfect innings in relief, Bears score eight in the sixth to grab comeback victory
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – Behind an eight-run sixth inning, Baylor baseball (8-12, 2-1) came from behind to defeat Kansas State (13-7, 1-2) Sunday afternoon, 8-4, for its first Big 12 series win of the year.

Fourth-year junior RHP Will Rigney tossed three perfect innings in relief and struck out six to energize the Bears after K-State took a 4-0 lead into the sixth. In the bottom half of the frame, BU exploded for eight runs on seven hits and a K-State error to charge in front, 8-4, and never looked back.

Fourth-year junior RHP Hambleton Oliver recorded a three-inning save, the second of his career, to shut the door and give Baylor its first series victory of the season in the first weekend of conference play. Additionally, nine different Bears had either a hit or an RBI in the win.

THE RUNDOWN
BU junior lefty Cam Caley worked out of danger in the first inning, but was tagged for two runs on two hits and an error in the second as K-State struck first. Then in the third, the Wildcats added another unearned run and took a 4-0 lead in the fourth following a solo home run.

That’s when Rigney entered out of the bullpen and proceeded to retire all nine batters he faced, while punching out six. His energy sparked the Bears, who had been held to just two hits prior to the sixth inning. With one out in the frame, junior OF Hunter Simmons and redshirt freshman OF Gavin Brzozowski notched back-to-back singles to chase KSU’s starter from the ballgame. The first Wildcat out of the pen hit the first two batters he faced, allowing BU to get on the board at 4-1.

Then, true freshman OF Caleb Bergman came through with a sharp ground ball off the K-State third baseman for an error that scored two runs before sophomore C Cortlan Castle beat out a run-scoring infield single that tied the game at 4-4. Bergman then scored the go-ahead run on a shallow sacrifice fly off the bat of junior LHP/OF Kobe Andrade, and the Bears wouldn’t stop there as sophomore INF Hunter Teplanszky, Simmons and Brzozowski delivered three-straight RBI singles to extend the Baylor lead to 8-4.

After back-to-back walks led off the top of the seventh, Oliver came on and set down the first five he faced in order. In the ninth, he worked around a K-State single to complete the nine-out save and give Baylor the victory.

HIGHLIGHTS
• The Bears collected their first weekend series win of the season.
• This is the first time Baylor has overcome a deficit of four or more runs to win since May 19, 2022, against Oklahoma State.
• With the win, Baylor improved to 55-33 all-time against Kansas State.
• BU improved to 8-0 this season when scoring six or more runs.
• BU also improved to 7-0 this year when out-hitting its opponent and when leading after six innings.
• 10 hits marks the seventh time this season that the Bears have eclipsed double digits in the hit column, including in three of their last four games.
• This is the first time BU has scored eight or more runs in an inning since May 19, 2022, against Oklahoma State.
• Nine different Bears had either a hit or an RBI in the victory.
• Fourth-year junior RHP Will Rigney threw three perfect innings in relief and punched out a season-high six.
• 13 of the 18 outs Rigney has recorded this season have come via a strikeout.
• Rigney started seven of the nine batters he faced with a first-pitch strike.
• Fourth-year junior RHP Hambleton Oliver matched his career-long outing with 3.0 scoreless innings.
• Oliver earned his first save of the season and second of his career.
• Freshman INF Kolby Branch extended his on-base streak to 20 games.
• Junior OF Hunter Simmons recorded his sixth multi-hit game of the year.
• Redshirt freshman OF Gavin Brzozowski notched his third multi-hit game of the year.
• Fourth-year junior INF/OF Cole Posey collected his fifth multi-hit game of the year and fourth in a row.

STAT OF THE GAME
9 – Nine different Bears recorded either a hit or an RBI in the win. Also, nine is the number of batters Will Rigney faced in his three perfect innings.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Mitch Thompson
On what Will Rigney means to the team…
"One guy changed the temperature of our dugout. When Will Rigney went out on that mound, it changed the focus of everyone on our team. I loved his heart, his energy, how he attacked, and the rest of the team responded. I’m really proud of the entire club and how they got after it today. It’s a big win for us.”

Junior RHP Will Rigney
On bringing energy when he pitches…
“It’s huge. I just try to bring a ton of energy and effort. I try to pitch like I’m an old guy, even though I don’t feel like I am because I have so little innings under my belt. But it felt really good. I was really happy with the lineup for putting up that big inning and they responded, and it was huge. I’m really proud of them.”

Junior OF Hunter Simmons
On the offense’s growth…
“It’s more of the team coming together. It’s more trusting the guy behind you. You don’t have to go up there and think I have to hit a home run to get us in this game. You just need to get on base and the next guy gets on base, and the next guy gets on base too, and the next thing you know runs are touching the plate over and over. It’s more about caring about the guy next to you than yourself. It’s about being bigger than yourself.”

WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor (8-12) rounds out its 14-game homestand with a midweek matchup against Sam Houston (13-8) on Tuesday, March 21, at Baylor Ballpark in Waco. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with the game set to be streamed on Facebook Live.

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_2043229943]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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