Baylor
UT Arlington
Baseball Falls to UTA in First Midweek Game
2/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas -- Baylor baseball dropped a 9-2 decision to UT Arlington on Wednesday evening at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (1-3) were doomed by the Mavericks' (3-2) seven combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
UTA started the game with a 1-0 lead thanks to an RBI single by Colton Turner in the first inning. The Mavericks then made it a 2-0 edge with a sacrifice fly by Brady Cox in the second.
In the fifth, four straight hits led to three runs as Christian Hollie had an RBI single and Turner roped a two-run double. In the sixth, the first four batters reached again, this time on a walk, single, error and single. The error on a sac bunt attempt led to a run, and after another infield single to load the bases and a wild pitch to score a run, Hollie doubled home two more to make it a 9-0 lead for UTA.
The Bears responded in the sixth, but it wasn't enough. Josh Bissonette led off with a single and scored on a Levi Gilcrease double. Kameron Esthay followed with another RBI double to cut the lead down to 9-2, but BU was unable to do further damage the rest of the way.
UTA starter Kadon Simmons (1-1) earned the win after giving up two runs on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts in 5.1 innings. BU starter Andrew McInvale (0-1) took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts in three innings.
NOTES
*Baylor is 386-169 all-time at Baylor Ballpark and 1-3 under Steve Rodriguez.
*Baylor leads the all-time series vs. UTA 85-32 and 52-13 in Waco.
*Richard Cunningham extended his first career hitting streak to four games.
*Kameron Esthay pushed his hitting streak to four games.
*Levi Gilcrease extended his first career hitting streak to four games.
*Josh Bissonette has his first career hitting streak, with a hit in three straight.
*Darryn Sheppard has reached base in three straight games.
*Steven McLean has reached base in three straight games.
*Andrew McInvale made his first career start.
*Collin Garrett made his Baylor debut in relief.
*Blake Allen tossed a career-high two scoreless innings in relief with a career-best two strikeouts.
STAT OF THE GAME
7 -- The amount of runs UTA combined to score in the fifth and sixth innings.
QUOTE OF THE GAME
"The biggest thing is we need to educate them a little bit more on what we are doing out there. They do a good job of getting the hitter to two strikes, then we can't just finish the hitter. We just need to educate a little bit more. We were trying to force at-bats, we were swinging at some pitches we probably shouldn't have. Even with our pitching, just as with our offense, they need to learn a little bit more about who they are and what they are capable of doing." -- Baylor head coach Steve Rodriguez
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor hosts Stony Brook for a three-game weekend series, starting Friday at 6:35 p.m. CT at Baylor Ballpark.
