PUTTING UP ZEROES
2/22/2025 12:47:00 AM | Baseball
Calder, Stahl run consecutive scoreless streak to 20 consecutive innings in 4-0 win
Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – After striking out a career-high 13 batters in his Opening Day start last weekend, Baylor junior left-hander Ethan Calder's objective Friday night was "just trying to fill it up and get us back in the dugout."
That's exactly what he did, throwing just 82 pitches in seven innings and combining with reliever Stefan Stahl on a four-hit shutout in the Bears' 4-0 win over the visiting Gonzaga Bulldogs in Friday's series opener at Baylor Ballpark.
"On a cold day, you want to get your team in the dugout as quick as possible," said Calder, who improved to 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA. "I've never pitched in this kind of cold, honestly. It's windy, it's cold, my ears are freezing the whole time. But every time I go out there, I'm trying to go as long as possible until they take the ball out of my hand."
Gonzaga (1-3) only struck out three times on the night, twice against Calder, but the Bulldogs only had a runner in scoring position three times and had more than one baserunner in an inning just once.
"When you don't give up any free bases, you don't walk anybody, you don't hit anybody, you're not giving up these stolen bags, it's tough to put together offenses," Baylor coach Mitch Thompson said. "I just thought our guys did a really nice job with that."
Going back to the last two innings of Saturday's 12-4 win over Youngstown State in the series finale, nine of Baylor's pitchers have strung together 20-consecutive scoreless innings. The Bears also recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time since April 1-2, 2021, vs. North Carolina A&T.
"Man, we got our butts kicked in the fall by (the pitchers)," said first baseman Gavin Brzozowski, who reached base twice in four plate appearances, scoring two of Baylor's four runs. "I'm glad it's showcasing right now. It's fun to watch and play baseball. No walks today. And whenever that's happening, you're just rolling on defense."
Coming in with a .396 batting average, the Bears struggled against Gonzaga starter Gabe Brabec (0-1). An all-conference pitcher last year at Linn-Benton (Ore.) Community College, Brabec allowed just one run on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
"You've got to give their guy credit," Thompson said. "If you look at his junior college numbers, they are off the charts. We knew there was something funky about him . . . and there was. But he knows how to pitch for his level of game. We're going to have to learn from it, be able to put something else in our tool bag that we can use when that comes out."
Baylor had a baserunner in all but one inning, with Brzozowski drawing a leadoff walk in the second, moving to second on a wild pitch and scoring on freshman Pearson Riebock's RBI single up the middle.
The Bears wasted an opportunity in the fifth, when they got back-to-back walks to open the inning and loading the bases when Enzo Apodaca was hit by a pitch. But the threat fizzled when third baseman Josh Hankins beat Cortlan Castle to the third-base bag on a fielder's choice grounder by Cortlan Castle.
A leadoff single by Hunter Simmons in the sixth was nullified when Ty Johnson hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Baylor broke it open in the seventh, scoring two runs on a leadoff walk by pinch-hitter Hunter Teplanszky, two Bulldog errors. Tyriq Kemp's RBI double and a sacrifice fly by Apodaca to go up 3-0.
"Obviously, we need to score more runs," Brzozowski said. "And one run would have done it today, but it's always fun just hitting behind Ethan, because you know we're always going to have a good chance on the mound to keep that zero up there."
The Bears opened the bottom of the eighth with three-straight singles by Brzozowski, Johnson and Teplanszky, but Gonzaga reliever Kai Francis worked out of it with minimal damage by inducing a double-play grounder that plated the fourth run of the game.
Stahl retired all six batters he faced to pick up his first save, retiring Vincent Temesvary for the final out with a high pop-up to second base.
The series resumes with games at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with Baylor trying to build on its best season-opening winning streak since starting 8-0 in 2019. Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+, with former KCEN sports anchor Kurtis Quillin and former Baylor baseball standout Matt Menard calling the action.
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – After striking out a career-high 13 batters in his Opening Day start last weekend, Baylor junior left-hander Ethan Calder's objective Friday night was "just trying to fill it up and get us back in the dugout."
That's exactly what he did, throwing just 82 pitches in seven innings and combining with reliever Stefan Stahl on a four-hit shutout in the Bears' 4-0 win over the visiting Gonzaga Bulldogs in Friday's series opener at Baylor Ballpark.
"On a cold day, you want to get your team in the dugout as quick as possible," said Calder, who improved to 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA. "I've never pitched in this kind of cold, honestly. It's windy, it's cold, my ears are freezing the whole time. But every time I go out there, I'm trying to go as long as possible until they take the ball out of my hand."
Gonzaga (1-3) only struck out three times on the night, twice against Calder, but the Bulldogs only had a runner in scoring position three times and had more than one baserunner in an inning just once.
"When you don't give up any free bases, you don't walk anybody, you don't hit anybody, you're not giving up these stolen bags, it's tough to put together offenses," Baylor coach Mitch Thompson said. "I just thought our guys did a really nice job with that."
Going back to the last two innings of Saturday's 12-4 win over Youngstown State in the series finale, nine of Baylor's pitchers have strung together 20-consecutive scoreless innings. The Bears also recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time since April 1-2, 2021, vs. North Carolina A&T.
"Man, we got our butts kicked in the fall by (the pitchers)," said first baseman Gavin Brzozowski, who reached base twice in four plate appearances, scoring two of Baylor's four runs. "I'm glad it's showcasing right now. It's fun to watch and play baseball. No walks today. And whenever that's happening, you're just rolling on defense."
Coming in with a .396 batting average, the Bears struggled against Gonzaga starter Gabe Brabec (0-1). An all-conference pitcher last year at Linn-Benton (Ore.) Community College, Brabec allowed just one run on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
"You've got to give their guy credit," Thompson said. "If you look at his junior college numbers, they are off the charts. We knew there was something funky about him . . . and there was. But he knows how to pitch for his level of game. We're going to have to learn from it, be able to put something else in our tool bag that we can use when that comes out."
Baylor had a baserunner in all but one inning, with Brzozowski drawing a leadoff walk in the second, moving to second on a wild pitch and scoring on freshman Pearson Riebock's RBI single up the middle.
The Bears wasted an opportunity in the fifth, when they got back-to-back walks to open the inning and loading the bases when Enzo Apodaca was hit by a pitch. But the threat fizzled when third baseman Josh Hankins beat Cortlan Castle to the third-base bag on a fielder's choice grounder by Cortlan Castle.
A leadoff single by Hunter Simmons in the sixth was nullified when Ty Johnson hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Baylor broke it open in the seventh, scoring two runs on a leadoff walk by pinch-hitter Hunter Teplanszky, two Bulldog errors. Tyriq Kemp's RBI double and a sacrifice fly by Apodaca to go up 3-0.
"Obviously, we need to score more runs," Brzozowski said. "And one run would have done it today, but it's always fun just hitting behind Ethan, because you know we're always going to have a good chance on the mound to keep that zero up there."
The Bears opened the bottom of the eighth with three-straight singles by Brzozowski, Johnson and Teplanszky, but Gonzaga reliever Kai Francis worked out of it with minimal damage by inducing a double-play grounder that plated the fourth run of the game.
Stahl retired all six batters he faced to pick up his first save, retiring Vincent Temesvary for the final out with a high pop-up to second base.
The series resumes with games at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with Baylor trying to build on its best season-opening winning streak since starting 8-0 in 2019. Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+, with former KCEN sports anchor Kurtis Quillin and former Baylor baseball standout Matt Menard calling the action.
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