WACO, Texas – BYU defeated Baylor 10-4 Friday in game two of a three-game Big 12 baseball series at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.
BYU (14-15, 5-6) used a 13-hit performance to score 10 runs, while Baylor (17-13, 6-5) was limited to four runs on nine hits.
Meanwhile junior reliever Nate Gray (5-5) picked up his third-straight win of the season. The righthander from Queen Creek, Arizona, came on in relief with one out in the third inning and went the distance facing 30 Bear hitters over 6.2 innings, striking out five while allowing just one earned run.
Highlights
Tualau Wolfgramm: 2 H, 4 RBI, HR, 3B
Ridge Erickson: 2-3, 2 RBI, HR, 2B
Easton Jones: 3-6, 3 R, RBI
Patrick Graham: 2-4, 2 R, HR, 2B
Nate Gray: W, 6.2 IP, 5 K, 1 ER
Summary
BYU jumped on Baylor right out of the gate, hanging three runs in the first inning. Bryker Hurdsman sparked it with a leadoff single and after a Baylor error put two on, Easton Jones punched an RBI single through the left side to get the Cougars rolling.
Tualau Wolfgramm kept it going with a two-RBI triple to left, clearing the bases and giving BYU a 3-0 edge.
Baylor answered in the third with three runs to tie the game, using a solo home run, a wild pitch and an RBI single to even things at 3.
BYU wasted no time taking the lead right back in the fourth. Ridge Erickson ripped a solo home run down the left field line and Patrick Graham followed with another solo shot to left to make it 5-3.
The Cougars added on in the fifth as Jones led off with a single, stole second and came around to score on a Baylor throwing error, pushing the lead to 6-3.
BYU loaded the bases later in the inning but couldn’t cash in any more.
Baylor put its best threat together in the sixth, loading runners at second and third with one out, but BYU slammed the door with back-to-back strikeouts to keep the Bears off the board.
Momentum swung again in the seventh as Wolfgramm battled back from an 0-2 count and snuck a solo home run just inside the left field line to make it 7-3.
The Cougars loaded the bases later in the inning for the second time in three frames but couldn’t add on.
Jones advanced into scoring position on a balk and came around moments later as Erickson ripped an RBI double down the right field line to extend the lead to 9-3.
BYU kept it rolling in the ninth as Graham opened the inning with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a flyout. Ezra McNaughton followed with an RBI single to center to stretch the lead to 10-3.
The Bears got one back in the bottom of the ninth on a solo home run to make it 10-4 and added a two-out single, but couldn’t put together a late rally.
Up Next
BYU continues its three-game series at Baylor on Saturday, April 4 at 4:00 p.m. MDT in Waco, Texas. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and BYU Radio.