March 6, 2015 Final Stats
Box Score (PDF)
THE RUNDOWN
HOUSTON - Baylor (6-6) dropped its first game at the Houston College Classic 2-1 to Hawaii (6-8) Friday afternoon at Minute Maid Park. Despite a strong effort on the mound from starter Drew Tolson, the BU offense didn't have enough to support him.
Hawaii's two runs off Tolson came very similarly as both were the result of single by Alex Sawelson. In the second, he singled to center with two outs to give the Rainbow Warriors a 1-0 lead. Then in the fourth, he had another two-out single to left for a 2-0 lead.
The Bears got on the board in the fifth to make it a 2-1 game. After leadoff walks by Kameron Esthay and Duncan Wendel, a double steal put them in scoring position with one out. Jonathan Ducoff plated Esthay on a sac fly but the Bears left one stranded.
The Bears then had scoring chances in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but came up empty each time. In the sixth, Darryn Sheppard walked with one out and Adam Toth followed with a double but both runners stayed put. In the seventh, Steven McLean had a one-out walk, stole second with two outs, but was stranded. In the eighth, Logan Brown and Sheppard began the frame with walks and pulled off a double steal to put the go-ahead run at second with two outs. However, pinch-hitter Mitch Price went down swinging to end the threat.
UH's LJ Brewster (3-1) earned the win after allowing one run on two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Cody Culp picked up his third save with a perfect ninth. Tolson (0-2) took the loss despite surrendering two runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts in six innings.
NOTES
*Baylor is in its ninth appearance at the Houston College Classic and is 13-12 all-time in the event.
*Baylor is 220-141 in March under Steve Smith and 0-1 this season.
*Baylor and Hawaii had never met prior to today's game - UH now leads the series 1-0.
*Baylor is 18-25 all-time vs. current members of the Big West Conference and 3-4 this season after sweeping then-No. 13 Cal Poly to open the season in Waco and being swept at Cal State Fullerton last weekend.
*Steven McLean made his first career start at shortstop and has reached base in four straight games.
*Matt Menard made his first start of the season, at catcher, and had his first hit, after missing the beginning of the season due to injury.
*Duncan Wendel made his first career start at second base and tallied his first career steal.
*Adam Toth hit his first double of the season.
STAT OF THE GAME
7 - The amount of Baylor runners left on base and the amount of hits by Hawaii.
TWEET OF THE GAME
QUOTE OF THE GAME
"I thought their starter competed really, really well. He was impressive in his fourth career start. We didn't do a whole lot at the plate today, which is atypical. Whether it was the five days off - it affects the hitters more than anybody - but today was a bit of an anomaly offensively." - Baylor head coach Steve Smith
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor faces No. 2 LSU at 3:30 p.m. CT tomorrow at Minute Maid Park before ending the event against No. 22 Texas A&M Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The scheduled pitching matchup for Saturday is BU LHP Daniel Castano (0-1, 4.00 ERA) vs. LSU RHP Alex Lange (3-0, 2.25 ERA) while Sunday will feature BU RHP Austin Stone (0-0, 4.91 ERA) vs. TAMU LHP Matt Kent (3-0, 2.29 ERA).
