By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Steve Rodriguez was looking for a chance to dig a little deeper into a 46-player Baylor baseball roster that was expanded because of last year's COVID-shortened season. 
            He found it in Saturday's nightcap at Baylor Ballpark when he used 22 players in the Bears' 20-4 rout of the Memphis Tigers that completed a doubleheader sweep. Tyler Thomas (2-0) combined with freshman Hambleton Oliver on a 9-0, two-hit shutout in the seven-inning opener as Baylor (6-4) won its third-straight against Memphis (4-4) and fourth in a row overall. 
            "We've been on the other end of that as well," said Rodriguez, whose team took advantage of 11 walks, four hit batters and two errors. "Our guys did a great job of not forcing at-bats, taking the hit-by-pitches, and really executing once we got on the base paths. That was a big thing . . . Getting the free bases is one thing, but still being able to get them across is another ting. I thought our guys did a really good job of that."
            The Bears staked freshman starter Cam Caley to a 3-0 lead through the first three innings of Saturday's second game, but Memphis tied it up when the first five batters in the top of the fourth got hits, including a two-run double by Alec Trela. Ian Bibiloni gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead when he had an RBI single off reliever Jimmy Winston. 
            That was one of just two hits Winston (1-0) allowed in a sparkling four-inning, six-strikeout performance that lowered his ERA to 2.30
            Baylor took the lead back in the fifth when the Bears plated six runs on four hits, an error, a walk and a hit batter. Davion Downey and Jacob Shoenvogel got the big hits with RBI doubles. 
Things went from bad to worse for the Tigers in the sixth with five walks, including two with the bases loaded, and Tre Richardson's three-run double that made it 17-4. 
            "Their pitcher started getting a little wild, and we just knew how to capitalize on it," said Richardson, who had a pair of two-hit games. "Keeping it simple, just trying to hit the ball back up the middle and having an approach when we go up to the plate."
            While Winston and freshmen relievers Drew Leach and Andy Owen combined to shut the Tigers out over the last five frames, Baylor tacked on three more runs in the eighth. In his first career at-bat, fifth-year senior reliever Ryan Leckich struck out looking for the final out. 
            In his 18 years as a head coach, Rodriguez has a rule that if his team scores 20 runs, "I usually find the oldest pitcher and ask them if they want to hit."
            "Some of them don't want to. They think they do until the opportunity arises, and then they say, 'Nah, I'm good,''' Rodriguez said. "The fact that (Leckich) took strike three is probably more frustrating, and he is not real happy with himself. But, that's part of it, and it's fun and exciting. When you score 20 runs, you should be able to have the freedom to do some stuff like that."
            Thomas was the story in the first game, tying his career high with six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out a career-best nine batters. Oliver had a couple two-out baserunners with a walk and hit batter in the seventh, but retired Braden Webb on a grounder back to the mound to complete the two-hit shutout. 
            A weekend starter as a freshman, Thomas went to the bullpen after undergoing Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery following the 2019 season and didn't allow an earned run in seven relief appearances last year. 
            "He's gone through a myriad of different things, and then he has the surgery . . . and you're like, 'How's this going to affect everything?''' Rodriguez said. "Watching him go out there and do what he's been doing has just been a delight. Not only for me, but for our program. You can see the energy he has when he pitches, and guys love being around him. It's like he's a totally different kid."
            Baylor got a run in the first, taking advantage of the Tigers' defensive struggles, and extended the lead to 4-0 in the third on an Andy Thomas RBI single and Jack Pineda's two-run single. Adding some insurance, not that Tyler Thomas needed it, the Bears scored five more runs in the sixth on run-scoring hits by Andy Thomas and Kyle Nevin and three-straight bases-loaded walks. 
            "Honestly, everything is working," said Thomas, who lowered his ERA to 1.17. "Past three starts have been great. I have great control over the changeup, curveball, fastball. Didn't really need to use the slider today, just because of the lineup matchup. But, I've been working with (pitching coach Jon) Strauss a lot, and everything is on."
            The Bears will go for the four-game sweep in Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale, with fifth-year senior Hayden Kettler expected to make his season debut. Kettler would become the 16^th different pitcher and 36^thplayer used this season. 
 

WACO, Texas – The Baylor baseball team dominated the Saturday doubleheader against Memphis with a 9-0 shutout victory in the first game and a 20-4 beatdown in the second at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (6-4) clinched the series win over the Tigers (4-4) and will go for the four-game sweep tomorrow afternoon.
 
GAME 1 (7 innings)
 
The Bears started the game with two infield singles from second-year freshmen Jared McKenzie and Tre Richardson, followed by a dropped fly ball by the Memphis right fielder to give BU the early 1-0 advantage.
 
In the third, BU added to its lead after fifth-year senior Andy Thomas smoked a ball past the second baseman to score McKenzie from third. Second-year freshman Kyle Nevin followed it up with his first double of the year to set up second and third, one out. In the next at-bat, newcomer Jack Pineda singled to score Thomas and Nevin to give the Bears the 4-0 edge.
 
A flurry of singles in the sixth added to the Baylor lead as Thomas and Nevin used base hits to score one apiece. The Tigers then walked three batters with the bases loaded to push the BU lead to 9-0, the eventual final.
 
Tyler Thomas (1-0) dominated as the lefty tied his career-high with six scoreless innings pitched while striking out a career-best nine batters. Thomas only allowed two hits and three walks in the game. Memphis starter Chris Durham (0-1) finished with the loss.
 
GAME 2
 
McKenzie started off the bottom of the first inning with his fifth home run of the season to left-center field to put Baylor up 1-0.
 
Later in the third, it was McKenzie again this time with a triple off the center field wall followed by Pineda bringing him home with a groundout. The Bears added another run in the frame after Richardson was hit by a pitch and advanced to third after two wild pitches. Third baseman Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo hit the sac fly to make it 3-0 in favor of BU.
 
The Tigers took the lead in the fourth after putting up a four-spot, before the Bears opened up the flood gates. After a throwing error and groundout to score two, BU got back-to-back doubles from outfielders Davion Downey and Jacob Schoenvogel to run up the score to 8-0. Third-year sophomore Chase Wehsener singled up the middle to make it 9-0 going into the sixth.
 
The Bears were far from done putting numbers on the board. In the sixth, Baylor exploded for another eight runs after Memphis walked five batters in the inning. Thomas, Downey and Richardson all had RBI base knocks to run up the score to 17-4.
 
Baylor piled on three more runs in the eighth with a Richardson single and error, followed by a Kyle Harper single to right field to make it 20-4, the eventual final.
 
In a relief effort, fifth-year senior Jimmy Winston (1-1) earned the win after throwing four scoreless innings and striking out a season-best six batters. The Tigers' Jackson Cothren (0-1) came up with the loss.
 
NOTES
• BU is now 4-0 at home in 2021
• The Bears shut out its second opponent of the week with a 4-0 victory over Sam Houston on Tuesday and the 9-0 blanking of Memphis in game one on Saturday.
• Baylor has outscored its opponents this week 38-8.
• The 20 runs in the second game of the day were the most for the Bears since they put up 24 in the 2019 Los Angeles Regional against Omaha.
• T. Thomas tied his career high with nine strikeouts and tied his longest outing, going six innings
• Schoenvogel earned his first career start in left field in the second game of the day. He had his first career hit with an RBI-double in game two.
• In the second game, McKenzie's triple was the first of his career and the first for the Bears this season.
• Richardson combined to go 4-for-6 with five runs and three RBI on the day.
• Five out of the six pitchers that saw time on the mound did not allow a single run.
 
QUOTE FROM COACH ROD
"Taking a doubleheader is really difficult, but I was really happy with our guys and the energy they came out with in both games. Tyler Thomas did a phenomenal job really battling through that whole game and coming out and doing such an amazing job on his fast ball in-out, being able to throw some off-speed for strikes. He commanded his own and you can see that they were a little flustered as the game was developing. Watching him go out there was really good, he's been so consistent for us here in this crazy start to our season. Offensively, in that second game, we were able to benefit for some walks and hit by pitches. What's great is our guys took advantage of it - getting on base, taking really good at-bats, scoring some runs, putting the pressure on their defense, and allowing some other guys to get some at-bats as well. It was really good to see, big game tomorrow for us." 
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor and Memphis will conclude the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark.
 
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