WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball pulled off a comeback 4-3 win over Texas Tech to even the Big 12 opening series for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (8-10, 1-1) trailed 3-0 entering the bottom of the seventh and walked away with a well-earned late-inning win over the Red Raiders (11-7, 1-1).
TTU grabbed the 3-0 lead by getting a two-run home run off the bat of Eric Gutierrez in the fourth inning and sacrifice fly RBI by Tyler Neslony in the seventh.
However after Drew Tolson gave BU a quality start by giving up three runs on seven hits and five walks with two strikeouts in 6.1 innings, the Bears’ bullpen allowed the comeback to happen as Blake Allen, Kyle Ott and Troy Montemayor posted 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.
The Baylor offense started the comeback in the seventh with a leadoff double off the very top of the left field wall by Richard Cunningham. After a Josh Bissonette walk and Levi Gilcrease sac bunt, pinch-hitter T.J. Raguse delivered a huge two-run single up the middle. Steven McLean followed with a hit-and-run single and Aaron Dodson drove Raguse in with a single to left, tying the game 3-3.
In the eighth, the Bears broke the tie as Kameron Esthay led off with a walk, moved to second on a sac bunt by pinch-hitter Cameron Miller, advanced to third on a ground out by Cunningham and scored on an infield single to third by Bissonette for a 4-3 lead.
TTU made it interesting in the ninth off Montemayor as a leadoff walk and error put runners at first and second with no outs. But a failed sac bunt let Montemayor get an out at third and Bissonette, Ben Carl and Esthay turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
Ott (2-2) earned the win in relief for Baylor, giving up just one hit in the eighth inning. Montemayor gathered his fourth save by allowing only a walk in the ninth. TTU reliever Ryan Moseley (2-2) took the loss after surrendering four runs on six hits and two walks in two-plus innings.
NOTES
*Baylor is 391-174 all-time at Baylor Ballpark and 6-8 under Steve Rodriguez.
*Baylor is 2-5 on its current and season-long eight-game home stand.
*In Big 12 opening series, Baylor is 13-6 and has won three of its last four.
*In Big 12 home opening series, the Bears are 15-3 and have won three straight.
*Baylor trails the all-time series against Texas Tech 82-79 but leads 50-29 in Waco.
*Kameron Esthay has a career-high seven-game hitting streak.
*Aaron Dodson has a four-game on-base streak.
*Steven McLean has a four-game on-base streak and three-game hitting streak.
*Josh Bissonette has a three-game on-base streak as he posted his fourth multi-hit game with a career-high-tying two hits.
*Richard Cunningham had his team-high-tying fifth multi-hit game.
*T.J. Raguse tied a career high with one hit and had a career-high two RBI for his first collegiate multi-RBI game.
*Troy Montemayor notched his fourth save of the season and of his career in as many attempts.
STAT OF THE GAME
4 – The amount of runs Baylor scored in its last two innings for the comeback win.
QUOTE OF THE GAME
“Being able to be aggressive even when we’re down by a few runs is a key for us. Execution is a part of the game for us throughout the season. We’ve been really harping on that all season and the guys were able to be aggressive and execute today.” – Baylor Head Coach Steve Rodriguez
WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor finishes its Big 12 opening series against Texas Tech and season-long eight-game home stand on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. CT with the series rubber match on FOX Sports Plus. The pitching matchup features BU RHP Nick Lewis (0-2, 6.23 ERA) vs. TTU RHP Ty Harpenau (0-0, 3.29 ERA).
