Baylor scored 18 unanswered runs as it erased a nine-run deficit in a 21-13 series-opening victory over Kansas State Thursday night at Baylor Ballpark.
Baylor (34-17, 12-10 Big 12) set season highs in runs and hits (23) as it scored 12 runs in a three-inning span, including a seven-run fifth inning, that wiped away a 12-3 lead K-State (27-26, 6-16) had built behind an 11-run third inning. The Bears won their seventh straight game and 10th in their last 11 games overall.
The Wildcats plated 11 runs in the top of the third inning to take a 12-3 lead, but managed just one run on three hits over the game’s final six innings. Their 11-run inning was the first time the Cats have scored double-figures in a single inning since 2011.
Baylor crawled out of the nine-run hole with four runs in the third inning, another in the fourth and seven in the fifth, with its go-ahead run coming from a Shea Langeliers two-run double in the fifth. The first seven BU hitters in the fifth reached base by way of a base hit, starting with Aaron Dodson’s leadoff solo homer. When all was said and done, the Bears had plated seven runs on eight hits and owned a 15-12 lead.
The Bears added six more runs to their total, including five in the eighth, to cap their comeback victory in game one of the series. BU launched four home runs and scored at least one run in seven of eight innings it came to bat.
Cameron Thompson got K-State on the board with a two-out solo home run of the first. His opposite-field homer was his second of the season and gave the Cats a 1-0 lead before starter Justin Heskett took the mound.
Heskett would leave in the third inning, going 2 2/3 innings and allowing seven earned runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Baylor got the run back on an RBI double by Langeliers to score Richard Cunningham, who earlier singled, and leveled the game after the first inning. Langeliers, a freshman catcher, finished the night 4-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and three runs driven in.
In the next inning, BU shortstop Tucker Cascadden delivered a two-run single that scored Matt Menard and Davis Wendzel to extend the Bears’ lead to 3-1 after two innings.
K-State responded in the next half inning with its 11-run third inning, as the first 11 Wildcat batters reached base safely in bringing 15 total batters to the plate. Josh Ethier’s triple to center field started a string of seven straight hits to begin the inning, as the first 11 Wildcat hitters reached base safely.
In the inning, both Ethier and Jake Scudder had a pair of hits while Scudder had two RBI base hits. Seven different Wildcats had an RBI in the inning to chase Baylor starter Nick Lewis, who failed to get an out in the third in his shortest outing of the season and was tagged for nine earned runs on 10 hits in two-plus innings.
Baylor began chipping away at K-State’s 12-3 lead in its next time to the plate by scoring four runs in the third, sparked by Cunningham’s leadoff home run. Wendzel later hit a two-run home run with two outs, ending Heskett’s day.
K-State managed just a pair of hits over the next four innings, but loaded the bases following three consecutive two-out walks given up by Baylor reliever Kyle Hill in the seventh. BU reliever Joe Heineman came in to retire Thompson and end the Wildcat threat.
Hanz Harker led off the ninth inning with his fourth home run of the season to complete the K-State scoring, who finished with 16 hits. All nine Wildcat starters registered a base hit as seven Cats recorded multi-hit nights. Scudder drove in a team-best three runs.
Thompson and Harker each drove in a pair and seven Wildcats tallied an RBI in the game.
Four Wildcat relievers combined to surrender 14 earned runs on 15 hits over 5 1/3 innings, walking six and striking out five.
Kalmus tossed 3 1/3 innings and allowed six earned runs on five hits. BU reliever Alex Phillips was credited with the victory in relief of Lewis after throwing three innings and yielding four hits and three earned runs.
K-State and Baylor will play a Friday doubleheader due to impending weather. Game one is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the regular-season finale slated for 6:30 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark.