Matheson’s Gem Lifts Baylor Baseball Past Tarleton, 4-2

[Calderone, Max]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 16, 2023

Matheson’s Gem Lifts Baylor Baseball Past Tarleton, 4-2
Junior RHP throws seven scoreless; Brzozowski hits three-run homer in the win
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Behind a masterful start by junior RHP Jared Matheson, Baylor baseball (17-35) claimed a 4-2 victory over Tarleton (24-25) Tuesday night at the TSU Baseball Complex in Stephenville.

Matheson pitched a career-high seven scoreless innings and struck out five, marking his third-straight start with five or more punchouts and one earned run or less. Redshirt freshman OF Gavin Brzozowski provided the big blow offensively with a three-run home run in the top of the first that capped off a four-run frame for the Bears.

Junior RHP Hambleton Oliver shut the door after entering with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth. The reliable righty minimized damage, then worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his fourth save of the season.

THE RUNDOWN
BU got the scoring started right from the jump in the top of the first, as back-to-back walks to sophomore INF Hunter Teplanszky and freshman INF Kolby Branch followed junior INF/OF Cole Posey’s leadoff single to load the bases. After junior OF Hunter Simmons delivered a sacrifice fly, Brzozowski crushed one that hooked around the right-field foul pole for his fourth long ball of the year.

Matheson took the mound for the first time with a four-run lead and retired nine of the first 10 he faced before allowing a hit to start the bottom of the fourth. After sitting down the next nine batters, including a double play, he was able to dance around danger in the seventh to strand a pair of Texans in what was TSU’s biggest threat to that point.

After going to the bullpen in the bottom of the eighth, two-straight singles and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases full of Texans before Baylor turned to its third pitcher of the night in Oliver. An RBI blooper and run-scoring double play ball accounted for Tarleton’s two runs, but Oliver buckled down to strikeout TSU’s three-hole hitter who served as the tying run.

In the ninth, Oliver retired the side in order to finish off the win, Matheson’s first of the year.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Baylor snapped its five-game losing streak and took a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series with Tarleton.
• BU earned its third road victory of the season and its first all-time in Stephenville.
• Junior RHP Jared Matheson went a career-long seven scoreless innings and struck out five.
• Matheson also earned his first-career win.
• Junior RHP Hambleton Oliver collected his team-leading fourth save of the season.
• Oliver also worked his 10th scoreless appearance of the year, and third in a row.
• Redshirt freshman OF Gavin Brzozowski notched his ninth multi-hit performance and once again tied his season best with three hits.
• Brzozowski also launched his fourth home run of the season, moving into second place on the team in 2023.
• The three-run home run marked Brzozowski’s third multi-RBI game of the year, and first 3-RBI game.
• Junior INF/OF Cole Posey recorded his 15th multi-hit game of the year.

STAT OF THE DAY
7 – Baylor starter Jared Matheson went seven scoreless en route to his first win of the season.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Mitch Thompson
On tonight’s win…
“The three-run bomb was huge. When you load the bases with nobody out, you’re thinking ‘OK, let’s go, let’s bust this thing open early.’ Had a good at-bat by Scoob [Hunter Simmons] hitting a deep fly ball to drive in the first run and then [Gavin] Brzozowski followed it up with the three-run bomb. We were up 4-0 in the first, so I’m disappointed we didn’t add to it. Had a couple opportunities throughout the game, and then towards the end of the game it got a little tighter and we had to hold on to it. Great job by Jared [Matheson] and then phenomenal job by Hambleton [Oliver] again. Putting him in the fire and he didn’t flinch.”

On Jared Matheson’s performance…
“Jared was really good. He filled up the strike zone, threw a good fastball and located his stuff well. It was fun to see a great outing for him. He gave us exactly what we needed.”

Junior RHP Jared Matheson
On what’s been the difference for him lately…
“Really just confidence. Getting my confidence back, believing in my stuff and my teammates behind me. Letting them put the ball in play and not thinking too much. I think that’s really helped.”

Redshirt freshman OF Gavin Brzozowski
On his approach at the plate recently…
“A lot of pitchers lately have been trying to go in, trying to make me hit into the shift. I’m starting to get more comfortable handling those inside pitches and trying to handle the outside ones whenever they show up. I’ve just been relaxing, trying not to make baseball my full identity. There is life outside of baseball, so it’s been mainly a mental change and it’s been doing me really good on and off the field. I feel like I’m playing more to my ability.”

WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor (17-35) hosts Cal State Bakersfield (18-28) in its final series of the 2023 season. The three-game set kicks off on Thursday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark 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_2865759046]<http://baylorbears.com/>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/localmedia/attachments/20230517/4cb9bfaa/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 11693 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/localmedia/attachments/20230517/4cb9bfaa/attachment-0001.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: BU52 Box Score.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 147238 bytes
Desc: BU52 Box Score.pdf
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/localmedia/attachments/20230517/4cb9bfaa/attachment-0002.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2023 BSB Season Stats.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 402811 bytes
Desc: 2023 BSB Season Stats.pdf
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/localmedia/attachments/20230517/4cb9bfaa/attachment-0003.pdf>