Baylor Baseball’s Comeback Bid Falls Short on Senior Day

[Calderone, Max]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 18, 2024

Baylor Baseball’s Comeback Bid Falls Short on Senior Day
Bears fall 10-8 to UCF in 2024 finale after bringing tying run to the plate in the ninth
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – Despite bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning after scoring six unanswered runs, Baylor baseball’s comeback bid fell just short to UCF on Saturday, 10-8, at Baylor Ballpark in Waco.

Fifth-year senior infielder Mason Greer represented the tying run and came to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but flew out to the warning track in right field to end the ballgame. Greer and redshirt junior outfielder Enzo Apodaca combined for seven hits and three doubles on the day, as Apodaca drove in three runs out of the leadoff spot.

Junior outfielder Wesley Jordan crushed his ninth home run of the season and ended the year on a 34-game on-base streak, the sixth-longest such streak by a Bear since 2003.

Baylor honored nine seniors as part of its Senior Day ceremony before the game, including Daniel Altman, Kobe Andrade, Harrison Caley, Gabe Craig, Kade Fletcher, Grant Golomb, Jared Matheson, Cole Posey and Greer.

THE RUNDOWN
UCF (33-18, 14-15) wasted no time in getting to Baylor starter Collin McKinney, putting up six runs in the top of the first on four hits and two errors. The Knights added to their total with a tally in the second to lead 7-0 before BU got on the board in the bottom half when Apodaca doubled in two to bring the Bears within five.

Another three unearned runs crossed for the Knights in the top of the fourth to make it 10-2. Baylor got one back in the home half on an RBI groundout from junior infielder Tyriq Kemp.

BU (22-31, 10-20) kept inching closer with runs in each of the fifth and the sixth. Caley singled in a run and then Apodaca tallied his third hit and second RBI double of the day to cut the deficit in half at 10-5.

In the seventh, Jordan blasted his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot, over the center-field wall. Then in the eighth, junior catcher Cortlan Castle’s RBI single made it 10-7. After a pitching change, Castle scored on junior outfielder Ty Johnson’s RBI knock that pulled the Bears within two, but that’s as close as they would come.

In the ninth, a UCF error allowed Caley to reach as the leadoff baserunner, but back-to-back strikeouts and Greer’s fly out to the warning track sealed the deal on BU’s 2024 season finale.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Baylor honored nine seniors as part of its Senior Day ceremony. All nine made an appearance against UCF.
• As a team, BU eclipsed double-digit hits with 12, marking the 22nd time this season that the Bears have reached double figures in hitting.
• Three Bears accounted for four doubles today in redshirt junior OF Enzo Apodaca (2), fifth-year senior INF Cole Posey (1) and fifth-year senior INF Mason Greer (1).
• This was the fifth game of 2024 in which Baylor has hit at least four doubles.
• Junior OF Wesley Jordan finished the season on a team-high 34-game on-base streak.
• Jordan’s streak is the sixth-longest on-base streak in BU’s program history since 2003.
• Jordan also hit his team-leading ninth home run of the season, a solo shot in the seventh inning.
• Redshirt junior OF Enzo Apodaca collected his ninth multi-RBI game of the year, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs.
• Apodaca also tallied his team-leading 18th multi-hit game of the season with his second four-hit day of the year.
• Senior INF Mason Greer tallied his fourth multi-hit game of the season after going 3-for-5 at the plate.
• Senior RHP Jared Matheson worked a season-high 2.1 innings of relief.
• Senior LHP Kobe Andrade made his team-leading 23rd appearance on the mound.
• Redshirt freshman RHP Tanner Duke dealt 2.1 innings of hitless baseball in his fourth scoreless outing of 2024.
• Redshirt junior RHP Gabe Craig notched his 11th scoreless outing of the season and ended the year on a seven-game scoreless appearance streak.

STAT OF THE DAY
9 – Baylor recognized nine seniors as part of its Senior Day ceremony.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Mitch Thompson
On building on this season…
“We’ve just got to keep staying together. And they did. I mean, even with the last game of the year, and your fate has been set, we got behind and had every opportunity to go in the tank, but they just kept fighting and I’m proud of them for that. I think that shows their character. I’m disappointed with the entirety of the season, the whole win-loss record, and that will always be a big part of this. But these guys, they gave a lot, and they fought through a lot of adversity. They took care of their business, they got degrees, they’re going to be successful people, and I’m proud of them.”

Fifth-Year Senior Infielder Mason Greer
On his leadership in the clubhouse…
“I would say I’m more of a “keep it light” in the clubhouse guy. Definitely tried to help people understand that you need to make a connection with everybody you play with, because you only get to play for a short time. So definitely make as many friends as possible. That’s kind of what I thought I brought to this team, was just to pick each other up and enjoy the time you have.”

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_3659903120]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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