SURPRISE, Arizona — BYU lost a back-and-forth slugfest to Baylor 13-9 on Wednesday in the second round of the Big 12 Conference Tournament at Surprise Stadium.
BYU (28-28) scored nine runs on 10 hits, but an uncharacteristic four defensive errors led to five unanswered runs. Baylor (29-26) had 13 runs on 11 hits in the win.
Highlights
Ryder Robinson: 3-5, RBI, 2R, HR
Ezra McNaughton: 1-5, 2RBI, R
Bryker Hurdsman: 1-4, 2RBI
Summary
After a three-up, three-down top of the first, Baylor jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of inning with three runs on a single combined with two doubles for a 3-0 lead. Following another scoreless inning by the Cougars, the Bears tacked on two more runs in the second inning on three walks and a double to increase the lead to 5-0.
BYU bounced back with a big third inning, scoring six runs on six hits to jump ahead 6-5. Matt Hansen led off the inning with a triple deep down the left field line. Keoni Painter was then hit by a pitch and Ridge Erickson singled to center, scoring Hansen and sending Painter to third. Crew McChesney singled to score Painter and move Erickson to third. Anderson then doubled down the right field line to score Erickson and send McChesney to third, where both would score on an Ezra McNaughton single to right.
A single by Robinson put runners on the corners and a Jones walk loaded the bases as the eighth straight Cougar reached base without an out. Hurdsman then lifted a deep fly ball to right field that scored McNaughton for a 6-5 advantage.
The Bears tied the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the fourth with an unearned run on an infield error, sacrifice bunt and a single to right field before BYU lefty reliever Ashton Johnson struck out back-to-back Bears to end the inning.
BYU responded in the top of the fifth with two runs to retake the lead. With one out, Hurdsman singled through the left side of the infield to score Robinson, who had reached on a single and advanced to second on Jones’ third walk of the night. With two outs, Painter doubled to left center to score Jones for an 8-6 advantage.
Baylor retook the lead 9-8 on a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth on single and a costly error that allowed the inning to continue, making all three runs unearned. After holding the Cougars scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Bears picked up four insurance runs on three hits and another Cougar error for a 13-8 lead.
Ryder Robinson homered over the right field fence in the top of the ninth but that would be as close as the Cougars would get, falling to the Bears with a final score of 13-9.