Late Surge Lifts Baylor to 6-4 Road Win Over Oklahoma State in Series Opener

STILLWATER, Okla. – Baylor baseball (12-9, 2-2) broke its three-game losing streak with a back-and-forth 6-4 road win over Oklahoma State (14-8, 0-4) in the series opener on Friday night at O’Brate Stadium.

The Bears totaled six hits in the victory and drew seven free passes as a team. Right fielder Brady Janusek (Fr.) hit his fifth home run of the season and center fielder Ty Johnson (5Sr.) collected his second multi-hit game of the spring, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Baylor’s pitching staff kept the powerful Oklahoma State offense at bay, totaling 15 punchouts and limiting the Pokes to eight hits. Oklahoma State left 15 runners on base and went 3-for-22 (.136) with runners on and 2-for-11 (.182) with runners in scoring position.

Right-handed pitcher Caleb Bunch (5Sr.) earned his third save of the season, going a season-long three innings out of the bullpen and tying a career-high in strikeouts (6).

“Those are exhausting, and our guys just kept competing, so I’m proud of the way we fought,” head coach Mitch Thompson told the Baylor Sports and Media Network post-game. “We took on their ace. I think this guy is going to throw in the big leagues, and we battled, battled, battled. We got him out of the game, and good things happened.”

Thompson continued, “We used Atkinson for an inning, RJ for an inning, and then Bunch was fantastic to finish it. It’s a great team win. It’s a really nice job by our guys, and I’m proud of them.”

With Oklahoma State’s ace, Ethan Lund (So.), on the mound, Janusek got a hold of one early and put the Bears on the board in the top of the first inning with a solo shot that just snuck over the wall in right-center field.

The Pokes punched back with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third from center fielder Kollin Ritchie (Jr.), his league-leading 14th long ball of the spring.

Baylor’s starting pitcher, Lucas Davenport (RJr.), locked back in and delivered a clean frame, as he finished with five strikeouts and two earned runs allowed across four innings pitched and 80 pitches, 44 of which were strikes.

The Bears tied the game in the top of the fourth when left fielder Pearson Riebock (So.) dropped down a bunt single, and Johnson later plated him with a two-out single into left-center.

With Davenport out of the contest, Thompson turned to right-handed pitcher Charlie Atkinson (Jr.) out of the bullpen. OSU’s leadoff batter reached on a fielding error from first baseman Tyce Armstrong (RSr.), and two free passes loaded the bases with two outs.

With the shift on and shortstop Travis Sanders (RJr.) playing to the right of second base, Oklahoma State first baseman Colin Brueggemann (Sr.) hit a would-be routine grounder to shortstop that turned into a two-run double, giving the Pokes back the lead, 4-2; neither run scored off Atkinson was earned.

The Bears didn’t let the momentum swing affect them as designated hitter Brayden Buchanan (RSo.) drew a leadoff walk in the top of the sixth. With speedster Bo Caraway (Fr.) pinch-running, he eventually came around to score on an RBI sacrifice fly from Riebock.

After Oklahoma State’s ace was finally out of the contest, Baylor broke the game open with a three-spot against right-handed pitcher Stormy Rhodes (So.). Sanders reached on an error, followed by three straight free passes, including a bases-loaded walk to Armstrong to tie the game.

With the bases still loaded, second baseman Robert De La Garza (Jr.) grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, but the go-ahead run scored. Pinch-hitting for Caraway, Hunter Snow (RFr.) clubbed a double into the right field corner to give Baylor another insurance run, 6-4.

Left-handed pitcher RJ Ruais (Jr.) tossed a clean sixth inning but surrendered back-to-back free passes to lead off the bottom of the seventh. With Bunch on the mound, he worked around traffic on the basepaths and got the Bears out of the jam.

With the go-ahead run at the plate in both the eighth and ninth innings as well, Bunch was able to clinch the save for Baylor without allowing a run; his ERA sits at 1.69 on the season.

Final: Baylor 6, Oklahoma State 4

W: RJ Ruais (2-1) L: Stormy Rhodes (1-1) S: Caleb Bunch (3)

POTG: Caleb Bunch (3 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 14 BF, 63 TP, 33 ST)

What’s Next

The Bears (12-9, 2-2) will continue their series against Oklahoma State (14-8, 0-4) at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, at O’Brate Stadium. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.