Baylor Baseball Wins Third-Straight Behind Altman’s Three-Run Triple

Tue Apr 2 23:07:02 CDT 2024

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – April 2, 2024

Baylor Baseball Wins Third-Straight Behind Altman’s Three-Run Triple
Bears erase early deficit, pull away to down HCU 13-5
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball (11-17) downed HCU (9-19) Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark by a final of 13-5.

After erasing a 3-0 deficit, BU pulled away with 10 runs in its final two offensive halves which included a bases-clearing triple by senior infielder Daniel Altman that put the Bears ahead for good.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Stephen Sepulveda was electric out of the bullpen, striking out the first six he faced as part of his 2.1 scoreless innings. Redshirt junior righty Patrick Hail escaped danger in the sixth, inheriting two runners and not allowing them to score, but it was sophomore southpaw Ethan Calder (3-1) who got the win after throwing two scoreless frames.

Junior outfielder Ty Johnson, infielder Tyriq Kemp and infielder Hunter Teplanszky each had two hits while seven different Bears drove in a run in the victory.

The win marks Baylor’s third in a row, matching its longest win streak of the season so far.

THE RUNDOWN
HCU got to Baylor starter freshman lefty RJ Ruais in the first with a solo home run, and added a pair in the top of the second to go ahead 3-0. But, BU would respond with a three-spot of its own in the home half as junior catcher Cortlan Castle got the Bears on the board with an RBI single, followed by redshirt junior outfielder Enzo Apodaca’s RBI fielder’s choice and an RBI knock by Johnson.

Another solo home run gave the lead back to the Huskies in the top of the third at 4-3. Things would stay quiet across the middle innings as Sepulveda entered and fanned six consecutive batters, becoming the first Bear to do so since Randall Linebaugh and Willie Kempf combined to strike out six in a row at Texas Tech on March 24, 2007.

After plunking a batter and allowing a walk to start the sixth, Sepulveda was lifted for Hail who quickly found himself in a bases-loaded jam, but wiggled out of it with an infield fly and inning-ending strikeout. That seemed to give Baylor the momentum, as the Bears loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh before Altman promptly cleared them with a three-run triple, putting BU in front at 6-4.

Later in the inning, fifth-year senior infielder Mason Greer reached on an HCU error that allowed another run to score as BU took a 7-4 lead to the eighth.

Calder retired the HCU side in order in the top half, allowing Baylor to put up six runs in the bottom of the eighth as Teplanszky singled in a pair, sophomore catcher Zach Mazoch and Greer each collected RBIs, and one more Huskies error plated BU’s final two runs.

Redshirt junior right-hander Drew Leach came on to close it down, though HCU scratched one last run across on three hits in the inning.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Baylor won its third game in a row, matching the team’s longest win streak of 2024 so far.
• BU improved to 8-2 all-time against HCU and has won each of the last four meetings.
• The Bears combined to strike out 12 batters, tallying their 12th double-digit punchout performance of the season and 32nd of the Mitch Thompson era.
• Baylor racked up 11 hits, marking its fifth-straight game with at least nine knocks.
• Freshman RHP Stephen Sepulveda struck out a career-high seven batters, including six in a row, in his fifth scoreless outing of the season.
• Sepulveda became the first Bear to fan six consecutive hitters since Randall Linebaugh and Willie Kempf combined to do so at Texas Tech on March 24, 2007.
• Redshirt junior RHP Patrick Hail made his sixth scoreless appearance of the year and remains the only BU reliever to collect at least one strikeout in every appearance in 2024.
• Sophomore LHP Ethan Calder made his seventh scoreless appearance on the year with two clean frames and picked up his third win of the season.
• Five Bears extended their on-base streaks to at least six games in Wesley Jordan (20), Hunter Teplanszky (12), Enzo Apodaca (7), Daniel Altman (6) and Tyriq Kemp (6).
• Teplanszky totaled his team-leading 10th multi-hit game of the season and fourth multi-RBI effort, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs.
• Apodaca reached base four times in his six plate appearances with a hit and three walks.
• Apodaca’s three walks tied a Baylor season high.
• Kemp went 2-for-3 with his first-career double and scored two runs, tallying his third multi-hit game of 2024.
• Altman collected his first-career triple and drove in three runs for the second time this year, his third multi-RBI game of the season.
• Altman has now driven in runs in eight of his last 10 games.
• Junior OF Ty Johnson added his eighth multi-hit effort of the year, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

STAT OF THE DAY
6 – Stephen Sepulveda became the first Bear in 17 years to strike out six batters in a row.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Mitch Thompson
On the win…
“I was proud of our bullpen. I felt like after the first couple of innings, we kind of settled in there and really pitched the ball well. Made all the plays on defense and then got enough going offensively. Had some big hits. Danny Altman’s big three-run triple to take the lead and get us going. We played clean defense. We really pitched the ball well out of the bullpen. Stephen Sepulveda was outstanding.”

Senior Infielder Daniel Altman
On his three-run triple…
“Just stepping up when my team calls on me at the plate. They come up with runners on second and third and I’m trying to do my thing to get those guys in. All I can do is help my team when they ask.”

Freshman Right-Handed Pitcher Stephen Sepulveda
On his performance…
“I went out there with confidence and tried to get ahead of hitters and do my job. I felt good in the bullpen and knew it was important to get hitters in uncomfortable counts and put them away early.”

WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor (11-17) hosts Incarnate Word (15-12) for a weekend series at Baylor Ballpark beginning on Friday, April 5, at 6:30 p.m.

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 (Baseball, Football)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-265-1639

[signature_2578942734]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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