Simmons Returns in Baylor Baseball’s One-Run Loss at Abilene Christian

Tue May 2 22:38:12 CDT 2023

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 2, 2023
Simmons Returns in Baylor Baseball’s One-Run Loss at Abilene Christian
Branch, Simmons homer; Bears strand tying run on third base in 9-8 defeat
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>
ABILENE, Texas – After missing 10 games with an injury, junior OF Hunter Simmons returned to the Baylor lineup Tuesday night and provided a spark, though the Bears dropped a 9-8 contest to Abilene Christian at Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene.

Simmons went 3-for-5 at the plate and drove in two runs, including a solo home run. Freshman INF Kolby Branch also left the yard, tying him for the team lead with five long balls now in 2023.

BU (15-30) trailed 8-5 midway through the ballgame and got back within a run late, but stranded the tying run on third base as the Wildcats (27-16) came out on top.

THE RUNDOWN
Baylor struck first in the opening frame as Simmons singled in junior INF/OF Cole Posey to mark the game’s first tally. However, ACU responded with a three-spot in the bottom half to go ahead.

BU would answer promptly with four runs in the top of the second, as Posey drove in a run with a base hit, sophomore INF Hunter Teplanszky collected an RBI on a groundout, then Branch went deep to give the Bears a 5-3 lead on the two-run shot.

In the bottom of the third, the Wildcats scored another trio of runs to retake the lead, then added a pair in the fourth on a two-run error to make it 8-5.

Simmons led off the top of the fifth with a solo shot to the opposite field. A few batters later, sophomore C Cortlan Castle brought home redshirt freshman OF Gavin Brzozowski on a run-scoring groundout to pull Baylor back within a run at 8-7.

ACU added what amounted to be an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out RBI double, as Teplanszky notched a run-scoring two-bagger of his own in the top of the eighth to keep the Bears within striking distance at 9-8.

After junior RHP Hambleton Oliver stranded the bases loaded with a pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the eighth, Simmons singled for his third hit of the game in the top of the ninth and was then lifted for a pinch runner. After junior RHP/OF Cole Tremain singled with one away and Castle reached on a fielder’s choice, a fly out ended the ballgame with the tying run on third base.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Baylor fell to 14-7 this season when scoring six or more runs.
• The Bears racked up 12 hits for their 19th double-digit hitting performance of 2023.
• Today’s game marked the 12th time this season that BU has tallied at least nine hits at the plate and nine strikeouts on the mound in the same game.
• Junior OF Hunter Simmons returned to the BU lineup for the first time after missing 10 games due to injury. His three hits and two RBIs marked his 11th multi-hit and ninth multi-RBI outputs of the season.
• Simmons also launched his fourth home run of the year.
• Sophomore C Cortlan Castle extended his on-base streak to nine games and his hitting streak to eight games with his eighth multi-hit game of 2023.
• Junior INF/OF Cole Posey recorded his 13th multi-hit game of the year.
• Freshman INF Kolby Branch tallied his ninth multi-RBI game of the year and hit his fifth home run of the season, tying for the team lead.
• Sophomore INF Hunter Teplanszky drove in two runs for his eighth multi-RBI effort of the season.
• Junior RHP/OF Cole Tremain logged his seventh multi-hit game of the season.
• Junior RHP Grant Golomb worked a season-high 3.2 innings, tying his career-high for innings pitched in relief.
• Golomb did not allow an earned run for the seventh time this season.
• Junior RHP Hambleton Oliver worked his seventh scoreless outing of the year.
• Freshman LHP/OF Ethan Calder made his fifth scoreless appearance of 2023.

STAT OF THE DAY
10 – After missing 10 games, Hunter Simmons returned to the Baylor lineup and made an impact with three hits, two RBIs and his fourth home run of the season.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Mitch Thompson
On tonight’s game…
“Well, it’s good to have Hunter Simmons back in the lineup. He lengthens out our lineup obviously. Offensively, we did some good things but we didn’t play the game well enough. We made two big mistakes that led to a bunch of runs and we’ve got to get to the point where we can overcome some of that. I’m disappointed in the loss. They guys fought and played hard, but little things added up and mattered. I thought Grant Golomb threw the ball well tonight, I thought he had a really nice outing, so it’s a tough loss.”

WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor (15-30) hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (20-23) on Wednesday, May 3, at Baylor Ballpark for a midweek matchup ahead of a five-day break for final exams. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Waco.

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_883232682]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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