Baylor baseball won the first game of a doubleheader vs. Niagara on Saturday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (2-0) used a three-run homer by Aaron Dodson and solid pitching to take down the Purple Eagles (0-2).
Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, the BU bats went to work. Shea Langeliers hit a one-out single to start the rally. Matt Menard followed with another single, and an out later, Dodson launched a three-run shot to right-center for a 3-2 lead.
Baylor added to the lead with sacrifice flies by Dodson and Tucker Cascadden in the sixth, and received an RBI single from Langeliers in the seventh for a 6-2 edge.
After a solo homer by Niagara made it a 6-3 lead in the eighth, Troy Montemayor came on in the ninth to shut it down.
BU starter Montana Parsons (1-0) earned the win, surrendering two runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts in six innings. Montemayor picked up his first save, allowing a hit and walk with two strikeouts in the ninth. Niagara starter Daniel Procopio (0-1) took the loss, giving up thre runs on four hits with one strikeout in four innings.
NOTES
*Baylor and Niagara met for the first time ever in this series, and BU holds a 2-0 all-time series lead.
*Baylor is 2-0 at Baylor Ballpark this season and 403-182 all-time.
*Montana Parsons made his Baylor debut on the mound, started and picked up his first win.
*Troy Montemayor earned his first save of the season and 15th of his career.
*Richard Cunningham has a career-high six-game hitting streak dating back to last season.
*Steven McLean has a 12-game on-base streak dating back to last season.
*Josh Bissonette has an 11-game on-base and career-high seven-game hitting streak dating back to last season.
*Aaron Dodson hit his first home run of the season and 11th of his career.
*Dodson’s four RBI in the game tied a career high.
*Dodson has a four-game on-base streak dating back to last season.
*Shea Langeliers had his first two-hit game.
*Matt Menard tied a career high with three hits for first multi-hit game of the season.
STAT OF THE GAME
6 – The amount of innings pitched by Montana Parsons and the amount of strikeouts he had.
WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor continues its season-opening, three-game series Saturday at 6:20 p.m. CT with the second game of a doubleheader vs. Niagara. The pitching matchup features BU LHP Cody Bradford versus NU’s pitcher that has yet to be announced.
