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<a name="_Hlk490052374"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS –
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Feb. 19, 2023<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black">Baylor Baseball Edged By Central Michigan, 4-3, in Series Finale<br>
</span></b><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">Ceccoli homers, Andrade triples, pitchers strike out 12 in the loss
<br>
</span></i><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">For more information contact:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"> Max Calderone, 254-265-1639,
</span><a href="mailto:Max_Calderone@Baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Max_Calderone@Baylor.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">
</span><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black"> </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br>
<br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">WACO, Texas –</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"> Baylor baseball (1-2) fell in the series finale to Central Michigan (2-1), 4-3,
Sunday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark in Waco.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Despite the pitching staff striking out 12 Chippewas, the Bears couldn’t overcome a 4-1 deficit at the plate, stranding the game-tying run at second base in the ninth inning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Sophomore 1B John Ceccoli delivered BU’s first blast of the season, a two-run home run to pull the Bears within one, but sophomore INF Hunter Teplanszky was left in scoring
position after collecting his second hit of the game in the ninth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Sophomore RHP Mason Marriott set a career high with six strikeouts in his first-career weekend start, but was hit with the loss. Meanwhile, junior RHP Andrew Petrowski made
his Baylor debut with five punchouts in four scoreless frames of relief.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">THE RUNDOWN<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">The Bears got things started quickly in the bottom of the first, as freshman INF Kolby Branch singled to right on the fifth pitch of the game, advanced to second on a passed
ball, then moved up to third on a wild pitch, and later scored on Kobe Andrade’s sacrifice fly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">However, CMU would respond with a four-spot in the top of the second and proceed to hold BU scoreless until the sixth inning. That’s when Andrade led off the frame with a triple
off the right-field wall and Ceccoli followed with a two-run blast to pull the Bears within one.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Petrowski, who entered in the fifth, held the Chippewas in check through to the ninth inning, allowing just two hits, including a double, though the baserunner would eventually
be caught stealing by Baylor freshman catcher Zach Mazoch at third. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Junior righty Cole Stasio came on to pitch a scoreless ninth and struck out one, his second scoreless outing of the season, to send the Bears to bat with a chance to win the
game.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">A one-out single by Teplanszky gave BU some life in the bottom of the ninth, and after a strikeout he advanced to second on a balk. Freshman OF Caleb Bergman would replace
him as a pinch runner, however, CMU’s Nate Ross was able to induce a game-ending groundout to strand the potential tying run in scoring position.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">HIGHLIGHTS</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Baylor is now 6-3 all-time against Central Michigan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• The Bears dropped the opening weekend series for just the sixth time in their last 16 seasons.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• BU’s pitchers struck out 38 batters, the most by a Baylor squad in a three-game series since at least 2003 (dating back to available stats).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• The is the first time since 2022’s opening weekend series vs. Maryland (Feb. 18-20) that the Bears have struck out double-digit batters in three straight games.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Sophomore RHP Mason Marriott made his first-career weekend start and struck out a career-high six batters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Junior RHP Andrew Petrowski made his Baylor debut and struck out five across four scoreless innings.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Junior INF/OF Daniel Altman and junior OF Hunter Simmons each made their first starts as Bears.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Sophomore 1B John Ceccoli hit his first home run of the year and second of his career.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Ceccoli also recorded his first multi-hit and multi-RBI game of the season with two.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Sophomore INF Hunter Teplanszky had two hits for the second game in a row. He led the Bears with a .571 average on the weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Junior LHP/OF Kobe Andrade tripled for the first time in his career.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">• Freshman OF Caleb Bergman made his collegiate debut as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">STAT OF THE GAME<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">2 – John Ceccoli hit his second-career home run, a two-run shot, for his second hit of the day.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">QUOTABLE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Head Coach Mitch Thompson<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">On his team’s resiliency over the weekend…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">"We’re going to be growing up every game, every inning we play. We’re learning as a coaching staff. We’re learning as players. We’re getting experience. We have guys out there
who have never been out there before. They competed hard. I think it showed a lot of heart for our guys how we came back after yesterday’s ballgame. They showed the fire and the fight, especially after going down 4-1 today. For our pitchers to come out there
and throw up seven straight scoreless innings and then to get back in the game and have some cracks at it, you just need the hit. Sometimes the game is not going to give it to you and I give Central Michigan credit. They didn’t give us anything. I like their
ball club and I like the way that we competed as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">Sophomore 1B John Ceccoli<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">On some takeaways from the weekend…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">“Just our fight. All three games we were down at first and we clawed back in it on Friday and Sunday. Showing that fight, who we are as a team [will pay off].”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">Junior RHP Andrew Petrowski<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">On his debut…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">“It was really fun, amazing, crowd was really good. It was a blast. Everything was working pretty good, fastball and slider were pretty good. I thought we looked really solid [this
weekend] and I’m excited to see what we can do in the future.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">WHAT’S NEXT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">Baylor (1-2) welcomes HCU (0-3) for a Tuesday night tilt at Baylor Ballpark on Feb. 21. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:center;background:white">
<i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt"><br>
-BaylorBears.com-</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">__________________________________</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;color:black"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#154734">Max Calderone</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"> | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (BSB, FB, EQ)</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">C: 254-265-1639</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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