WACO, Texas — Following a 10-day break, Baylor picked up right where it left off with a 17-2 thrashing of Kansas State on Friday night at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (28-13, 8-8 Big 12) have won 15 of their last 18 games after the victory over the Wildcats (27-17, 6-10 Big 12).
The Bears took an early 2-0 lead after fifth-year senior Andy Thomas hit a two-run homer to right field for his eighth of the season.
In the second inning, BU continued to put the pressure on offensively when junior Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo used a sacrifice fly to score second-year freshman Kyle Nevin. Later in the inning, second-year freshman Jared McKenzie hit a three-run homer to stretch Baylor’s lead to 6-0.
The longball kept connecting in the third, as newcomer Jack Pineda hit a three-run blast to right field in the third, making it 9-0 in favor of the Bears.
K-State got on the board in the fourth inning with a solo shot, but Baylor responded with RBI by both true freshman Alex Gonzales and Pineda to push the Baylor advantage to 11-1.
In the top of the fifth, the Wildcats scratched across a run, but the Bears added another two in the home-half when Nevin hit an RBI-single and then Cardoza-Oquendo singled to left-field to make it 13-2.
Pineda led off the sixth with a triple, while McKenzie brought him home with a single to extend the lead to 14-2.
The Bears scored another three runs in the eighth inning with RBI by both Thomas and Nevin, as a wild pitch capped the scoring at 17 runs.
Baylor starter Hayden Kettler (4-2) was solid on the mound after throwing six innings and only allowing two runs on seven hits, walking none and striking out six. It was the third consecutive game that Kettler did not allow a walk. K-State starting pitcher Connor McCullough (4-3) was tabbed with the loss.
NOTES
- After starting 1-5, the Bears are now 8-8 in Big 12 play.
- Baylor is 21-3 this season at Baylor Ballpark.
- BU has won 15 of its last 18 games.
- In their last four wins, the Bears are outscoring opponents 56-9.
- Baylor scored double-digit runs for the 12thtime this season.
- The Bears scored the most runs against a Big 12 opponent since defeating Kansas State 18-0 on April 27, 2018 in Manhattan, Kansas.
- Baylor scored in every inning except the seventh.
- Kettler earned his 20thcareer win and fourth of the season.
- Kettler has not allowed a walk in his last three starts (17.0 IP).
- Pineda and McKenzie combined went 6-for-11 with eight RBI, five runs scored and two home runs.
- Pineda finished a double short of the cycle.
- Thomas went 3-for-4 on the night with three runs and three RBI and his eighth home run of the season.
- With each of their home runs McKenzie and Thomas are still tied for the team lead with eight on the year.
- Nevin hit 3-for-6 with two runs and two RBI.
- Hambleton Oliver, Chandler Freeman and Adam Muirhead each threw a scoreless inning to close out the game.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Bears and Wildcats will square off again tomorrow at 3 p.m. inside Baylor Ballpark.