AUSTIN – Baylor baseball claimed the series opener over Texas 2-1 on Thursday evening at Disch-Falk Field. The Bears (23-26, 9-13) used a timely hit and stellar pitching from starter Drew Tolson to topple the Longhorns (21-29, 9-13).
Tolson was simply fantastic as he retired the first nine batters of the game and 16 of the first 17 to give the Baylor offense a chance to score. BU did just that in the fifth inning as Josh Bissonette led off with an HBP. After an error by the pitcher on Richard Cunningham’s sacrifice bunt, Steven McLean put down a sac bunt to put both runners in scoring position. Pinch-hitter Cameron Miller delivered an RBI ground out to second and Matt Menard followed with a clutch two-out single up the middle for a 2-0 lead that stood.
UT answered in the sixth with a run on three hits, but it was all the Longhorns could muster against Tolson. Troy Montemayor then tossed a perfect ninth to nail down the win.
Tolson (6-3) earned the win, allowing one run on six hits with no walks and three strikeouts in eight innings. Montemayor picked up his 13th save with a flawless ninth and one strikeout. UT starter Morgan Cooper (2-5) took the loss, giving up two runs on nine hits with four strikeouts in six innings.
NOTES
*Baylor trails the all-time series against Texas 238-107-4 overall, 134-42-1 in Austin and had lost three straight in the series – BU has won nine of the 19 all-time Big 12 series against UT.
*Baylor has won four of its 11 three-game series in 2016 and 25 of 55 since 2012.
*Baylor is 7-10 on the road in 2016.
*Kameron Esthay’s career-high 13-game on-base streak ended.
*Matt Menard has a career-high-tying 13-game on-base streak and four-game hitting streak.
*Steven McLean has a seven-game hitting streak as he posted his team-high 16th multi-hit game of the season.
*Justin Arrington has a seven-game on-base streak.
*T.J. Raguse has a five-game on-base streak.
*Josh Bissonette has a five-game on-base streak as he notched his seventh multi-hit game of the season.
*Aaron Dodson registered his 11th multi-hit game of the season.
*Drew Tolson tossed a season-high eight innings and upped his career-high win total to six.
*Troy Montemayor has 13 saves in 14 tries this season and in his career – he’s the ninth player in BU history to record 10 or more saves in a season (first since Josh Michalec set the single-season Baylor and Big 12 records with 21 saves in 2014) and ranks fourth on BU’s single-season saves list and tied for eighth on BU’s career list – he’s had five straight scoreless appearances covering four innings.
STAT OF THE GAME
0 – The amount of walks issued by Baylor pitchers in the game – fewest all season and first time with no walks in a game for BU since April 29, 2014, vs. Sam Houston State.
QUOTE OF THE GAME
“When you don’t walk people it’s amazing how great things can happen. Drew Tolson was great tonight. He’s not a big power pitcher but he throws the ball down and gets ground balls for our infielders. It’s just efficiency. He got ahead of hitters consistently tonight. I’m so happy for him and the way he’s rebounded lately – I just tip my cap to him. It’s really great to see.” – Head Coach Steve Rodriguez
WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor continues its regular-season-ending series against Texas with a 6 p.m. CT game Friday and 2 p.m. finale Sunday, both on the Longhorn Network. UT has yet to announce pitchers but BU will throw LHP Daniel Castano (4-4, 4.37 ERA) Friday and RHP Kyle Hill (1-4, 5.40 ERA) Saturday.
