Baseball Sweeps George Washington Series

Sunday, March 11

Waco, Texas

1:05 PM

Baylor

8-5

George Washington

7-9

George Washington

Baylor

Baseball Sweeps George Washington Series

3/11/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Final Stats

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

Baylor freshman Nick Loftin wasn't having the kind of day you write home about. It was more like one you try to put in the rearview mirror as quickly as possible.

In his first three at-bats in Sunday's series finale against George Washington, he hit into two inning-ending double plays and then grounded out to third with a runner in scoring position.

"That's baseball," the freshman leftfielder said. "This is a game of opportunity, I don't think it's a game of failure."

And when Loftin got his opportunity again in the eighth, he didn't fail.

With one out, the bases loaded and Loftin facing GW closer Will Kobos, he drilled a first-pitch fastball into left field for a two-run single as the Bears completed a three-game sweep at Baylor Ballpark with a 5-1 win.

"Going into that at-bat, it was a little frustrating, my few at-bats I had had before," he said. "But going through the scouting report, Coach had shown us that this guy (Kobos) was 93 to 95 (mph), a fastball-thrower. I knew with the bases loaded he was going to try to get ahead, so I was just looking at that first-pitch fastball, and I was able to jump on it."

It's the same message that Baylor coach Steve Rodriguez has delivered to countless frustrated hitters in the past: Your next opportunity is coming.

"As they come back to the dugout, every now and then they're frustrated," said Rodriguez, whose team ran its winning streak to five in a row in improving to 8-5 overall and 5-1 at home. "I tell them, 'Hey look, there's big at-bats coming later in the game.' And for him, there was. So, I was really happy to see him come through like that."

The Bears also got tremendous pitching for the fifth game in a row. Over that stretch, Baylor's pitchers have given up just five earned runs with 36 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 45 innings.

Freshman starter Tyler Thomas got the start in Sunday's game and gave up just one hit in five-plus innings. He breezed through the first five frames before walking 9-hole hitter Brandon Chapman after Dominic D'Alessandro reached on a two-base fielding error by right fielder Davion Downey.

Sophomore lefty Ryan Leckich gave up a single to load the bases with nobody out. He retired Steven Barmakian on a foul pop-up to the catcher and looked like he might get out of the inning, but Robbie Metz beat out the back end of a potential double-play grounder.

"You can't ask for anything better," Rodriguez said of Leckich, who allowed one hit in three shutout innings. "The effort and intent that he has going out there right now, I just kind of take a step back and I'm proud of him, because he's come a long way from being a little injured his first year to coming out and doing what he's doing now. He's doing a phenomenal job."

Leckich (2-0), who's tossed 10 scoreless innings over five relief appearances this season, said he's just "just throwing strikes and letting the defense work behind me."

"Whenever my name is called, I'm ready to go," he said. "I don't know when it's going to be, but whenever it is I'm going to be ready."

GW starter Nathan Woods retired the first seven batters and kept the shutout intact into the fifth. But, it was his throwing error on a Davis Wendzel grounder that led to the first run of the game. With runners on the corners, Andy Thomas singled through the right side to score Downey, but the threat fizzled out when Loftin hit into his second double play.

The Bears had another chance in the fifth when Josh Bissonette and Tucker Cascadden had back-to-back one-out singles. With both runners in scoring position after a stolen base, Cole Haring popped up to the shortstop and reliever Pat Knight retired Downey on a fly to left.

A throwing error by shortstop Nate Fassnacht opened the door for Baylor and Loftin in the eighth. After Knight walked Wendzel and Thomas to load the bases, Kobos came out of the pen to shut the door.

But, that's when Loftin delivered his two-run single, then two more runs came across when the Colonials (7-9) botched a potential double-play grounder by Bissonette.

"It wasn't just that hit that won us the game," Loftin said. "It was Shea (Langeliers) reading the (first baseman's) feet and then reading the ball in the dirt and making it to second base. We just needed to get that one big hit to win the game."

Closer Troy Montemayor worked around a two-out double in the ninth to finish the game.

"The biggest thing is we just need to make sure we're playing good baseball," Rodriguez said. "We had some execution opportunities today that we really capitalized on, then we had some that we need to do a better job on. When we can minimize our mistakes, it makes the game a lot easier."

Baylor hosts Sam Houston State (12-4) at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday before opening Big 12 play with a three-game series at home next weekend against third-ranked Texas Tech (15-2).

THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas - Baylor baseball swept the series with a 5-1 win over George Washington on Sunday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (8-5) used a four-run eighth inning to defeat the Colonials (7-9).

BU broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning. Davion Downey singled and an error set up an RBI single by Andy Thomas. However, a Baylor error set up a run for George Washington in the sixth to tie the game.

The Bears broke the game open in the eighth, though. Shea Langeliers reached on a one-out error, Davis Wendzel was intentionally walked after a wild pitch moved Langeliers to second, and Thomas walked to load the bases. Nick Loftin then came through with a big two-run single. Richard Cunningham followed with a single and Josh Bissonette hit into a fielder's choice throwing error that scored two runs.

BU reliever Ryan Leckich (2-0) earned the win, giving up a hit in three scoreless innings. George Washington reliever Pat Knight (1-2) took the loss, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks with one strikeout in 2.2 innings.

NOTES
*Baylor has won five straight games for the first time this season.

*Baylor is 3-0 on its current seven-game home stand.

*Baylor has won two of its three series this season and posted its first series sweep.

*Baylor is has finished its home schedule with a .500 record or better (5-1 in 2018) in all 19 seasons at Baylor Ballpark (since 1999) and is 421-194 all-time at the park.

*Tyler Thomas tossed a career-high five innings, and allowed an unearned run on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.

*Ryan Leckich has a career-high five-appearance scoreless streak to start the season, spanning 10 innings. He has a career-high two wins on the season.

*Troy Montemayor has a six-appearance scoreless streak, spanning six innings.

*Davion Downey has reached base in eight straight games.

*Nick Loftin has reached base in six straight games and has a four-game hitting streak as he posted his first multi-RBI game (2).

*Tucker Cascadden has a hit in four straight games as he notched his second multi-hit game (2).

*Josh Bissonette posted his third multi-hit game (2).

*Andy Thomas registered his team-high-tying fourth multi-hit game (2).

STAT OF THE GAME
4 - The amount of runs Baylor scored in the eighth inning and amount of scoreless relief innings by the bullpen.

QUOTE OF THE GAME
"[The pitching this weekend] was phenomenal, not to mention today. Shoot, I would want to pitch today with 20-30 mph winds blowing straight in. Just throw the ball over the plate and let them hit it as far as they want and deal with it accordingly. They did a phenomenal job and I tell you what, even with conditions like this, it is still hard to pitch because your balance is off, the wind is at your back, breaking balls are tough to control. It's just a matter of can you control your fastball at that time and I was really happy to see our guys come through the way they did." - Baylor Head Coach Steve Rodriguez

WHAT'S NEXT
The Bears continue their seven-game home stand with a 6:35 p.m. CT contest against Sam Houston State on Tuesday. For tickets to home games, visit: http://www.baylorbears.com/tickets/. For updates on the program follow @baylorbaseball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

-BU-