WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball cruised to a 10-3 victory over Youngstown State thanks in part to a historic start from Ethan Calder Friday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark in Waco.
 
The junior left-hander struck out 13 batters in just five innings of work, becoming the first Bear since Logan Verrett in 2011 to rack up as many punchouts. Calder allowed just two hits and surrendered one walk, allowing just one unearned run in collecting his first win of 2025.
 
BU pounded out 13 hits and received big performances from senior outfielder Wesley Jordan, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles, and fifth-year senior designated hitter Hunter Simmons, who reached base in all five of his plate appearances, collected three hits and drove in two runs.
 
THE RUNDOWN
After Calder struck out the side to begin the ballgame, Baylor wasted no time in opening the scoring as back-to-back RBI doubles by Jordan and Simmons put the Bears ahead 2-0. An RBI knock off the bat of redshirt junior first baseman Gavin Brzozowski increased the lead to 3-0 in the third.
 
All the while, Calder was putting on a clinic, striking out eight of the first 12 batters he faced until a solo home run got the Penguins on the board. From there, Calder went on to punch out the next five batters he faced and finished his day with a whopping 13 strikeouts after five strong innings.
 
BU pushed across three runs in the bottom of the fifth on four walks and two hits, including an RBI single by senior infielder Hunter Teplanszky. After freshman southpaw Carson Bailey delivered a scoreless frame in his first-career action, senior outfielder Ty Johnson padded the lead with a solo home run to make it 7-1.
 
Senior right-handed pitcher Caleb Bunch came on to record the three-inning save, scattering six hits and allowing two runs. Another RBI single from Simmons and a two-run knock by Johnson swelled the Baylor lead to 10-3 and put a stamp on the Opening Day win.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
• Baylor improved to 66-37 all-time on Opening Day and 2-1 in season openers under third-year head coach Mitch Thompson.
• BU now leads the all-time series, 3-2, against Youngstown State.
• Junior LHP Ethan Calder fanned a career-high 13 batters, becoming the first Bear to do so since Logan Verrett (14 vs. Louisiana Tech, March 11, 2011).
• Freshman LHP Carson Bailey made his collegiate debut and pitched a scoreless inning, picking up his first-career strikeout along the way.
• Senior RHP Caleb Bunch earned a three-inning save in his Baylor debut.
• Sophomore INF Jack Little made his Baylor debut and tallied two hits.
• Senior OF Wesley Jordan extended his on-base streak to 35 games, tying for the fifth-longest such streak since David Murphy reached in 42 straight in 2003.
• Senior DH Hunter Simmons reached base in all five of his plate appearances, tallying three hits and driving in two runs.
• Senior OF Ty Johnson produced a pair of hits, including a solo home run.
• Redshirt sophomore INF Travis Sanders made his Baylor debut and freshman INF Pearson Riebock made his collegiate debut.
 
STAT OF THE DAY
13 – Junior left-handed pitcher Ethan Calder became the first Bear since Logan Verrett (14 vs. Louisiana Tech, March 11, 2011) to strike out 13 or more batters in a game.
 
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Mitch Thompson 
On why he decided to start Calder on opening day…
"The reason that we gave him the ball is because he's consistent with everything he does, you know what you're going to get. We asked ourselves, 'who do you know for sure can take the ball on Opening Day, be the guy that you need him to be?' Well, it was Ethan, and he went out and did that. … Ethan was fantastic." 
 
Junior left-handed pitcher Ethan Calder 
On the responsibility of pitching Opening Day… 
"I think [pitching coach Sean Snedeker] brings such a calming attitude, and I think him just believing in me and the coaches believing in me gave me a lot going out there, and I think that's what carried me through it. You can't beat Opening Day. It's just the best thing ever, even on a cold day it feels electric, so it was fun to get this one." 
 
Senior designated hitter Hunter Simmons 
On returning from his 2024 season-ending injury…
"Obviously, it's nice being prepared for it. It's not just one thing, you just walk out there and hope it's gonna work. I've worked hard for it, I've prepared for it, but also my teammates [are] behind me." 
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor (1-0) and Youngstown State (0-1) return for a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark in Waco.
 
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