Baylor
No. 13 Cal Poly
Baseball Tops No. 13 Cal Poly to Start 2015
2/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas - Baylor baseball started its 2015 season on a good note with an 8-6 win over No. 13 Cal Poly Friday night at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (1-0) used a three-run eighth inning to take the final lead over the Mustangs (0-1).
Baylor held the lead two times before finally grabbing a firm hold in the eighth. Entering the frame tied 5-5 after Cal Poly's seventh-inning run, Jonathan Ducoff led off for Baylor by reaching on a wild pitch strikeout. Cameron Miller backed it up with a rope down the right field line to leave a first and third situation for Steven McLean. For the second time in the game, McLean scored a run on a sacrifice fly to center field. A Justin Arrington walk later, Logan Brown delivered the big knock by smashing a two-run, two-out triple down the left field line for an 8-5 lead.
With Nick Lewis already on the mound after 2.1 innings of relief, Sean Spicer came on to attempt his first career save after Lewis allowed back-to-back singles for a run. Spicer calmly painted the strike zone to retire the next three hitters in a row to seal the win.
Lewis (1-0) picked up the victory after allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Spicer pitched a perfect ninth to earn his first collegiate save. BU starter Drew Tolson tossed four frames in a no-decision, allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
A 12-game winner with a 1.56 ERA last season, Cal Poly starter Casey Bloomquist took a no-decision after giving up five runs on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Danny Zandona took the loss (0-1), surrendering two runs on two hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
NOTES
*Baylor is 16-8 against ranked teams at home since 2012 and 28-27 against ranked teams overall since 2011.
*Baylor won the first-ever meeting between the two teams and now leads the series vs. Cal Poly 1-0 - the teams have a combined 2,797 all-time wins.
*Baylor is 16-5 in home openers under Steve Smith and has won nine of its last 10.
*Baylor is 138-70 in February under Smith.
*Baylor had six players make their debuts in a Bear uniform: Kameron Esthay, Jonathan Ducoff, Cameron Miller, Steven McLean, Justin Arrington and Kody Hessemer - with the first five all earning starts on opening day.
*Cameron Miller went 2-for-3 in his debut with two runs, a walk and threw out his first career base stealer on his first attempt behind the plate.
*Steven McLean had two RBI on a pair of sac flies in his debut.
*Adam Toth had two productive outs for a pair of RBI.
*Kameron Esthay achieved his first career hit in the third inning on single to center in his debut.
*Justin Arrington tallied his first Baylor run scored and RBI in his debut.
*Darryn Sheppard went 2-for-4 with two runs and a walk to tie a career high in hits for the fifth time - as leadoff man for the Bears he hit the first pitch of BU's season off the center field wall for a double and came around to score.
*Logan Brown went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a walk and run scored.
*Jonathan Ducoff scored a pair of runs after reaching base on swinging strikeouts twice in his debut.
*Kody Hessemer tossed 0.2 scoreless, hitless innings in his Baylor debut.
*Sean Spicer earned his first career save in his first career attempt in his 31st career appearance.
STAT OF THE GAME
15 - The amount of free bases Cal Poly allowed Baylor to have.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Leggoooooooo RT @BaylorBaseball: B8: McLean gets the job done on another sac fly to CF. Bears retake lead. 1 out, Miller on 1B. BU 6, CP 5.
- David Fankhauser (@dfank_BU) February 14, 2015
TOP QUOTE
"We were trading runs for outs and they were getting runs with hits. We finally got that hit, that big hit. I couldn't see it too well but it looked like it was close on the line over there. But good for [Logan Brown] - he had some good at-bats, he played well. It was an enjoyable game to watch and the guys played hard. I only felt like there were a couple of guys that it just got a little fast for. Other than that it was really pleasing to watch the game." - BU head coach Steve Smith
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor takes on No. 13 Cal Poly at 3 p.m. CT tomorrow and noon Sunday to finish the season-opening series. The pitching matchups feature BU RHP Ryan Smith (2014: 0-1, 3.63 ERA) vs. CP RHP Slater Lee (2014: 3-2, 6.20 ERA) for Saturday and BU's unannounced starter vs. CP RHP Justin Calomeni (2014: 8-2, 3.68 ERA) for Sunday.
