FIGHT TO THE END
5/15/2025 11:30:00 PM | Baseball
Bears post 14th comeback win with three-run ninth to beat UCF, 5-4
By Jerry Hill
BaylorBears.com
ORLANDO, Fla. – Mitch Thompson wasn't about to take credit for making the call for Ty Johnson to steal third and score the go-ahead run on a throwing error that finished off Baylor baseball's 14th comeback win of the season.
"It was a baseball player being a baseball player. He thought he had the base, and he took it," Thompson said of Johnson scoring the winning run in the Bears' 5-4 road victory over the UCF Knights Thursday night that secured Baylor's spot in next week's Big 12 Tournament.
"You can't make that out right there. But if you get it and they throw it away and you score, then your coach loves you. I'm proud of Ty. I think it's a baseball player being a baseball player, knowing what he can do. I'm not taking credit for stealing that bag. I'm going to give Try credit for it. He did a good job.
For the second-straight game, the Bears (32-20, 12-16) overcame a two-run deficit in the eighth inning or later. On Sunday, Baylor scored two runs in the eighth to tie it and then one in the ninth for a walk-off, 5-4 victory over Oklahoma State.
"We know the season's on the line, and we're getting close to the finish line," said senior catcher Cortlan Castle, who went 2-for-3 and drove in the tying run with an infield single deep in the hole at shortstop. "And nobody in our dugout wants to be done playing. We're fighting every second to get as many wins as we can and fight to extend our season. To see our guys dig deep and get the job done, it just feels good."
Baylor took the early lead just two batters into the game, when Travis Sanders blasted his seventh homer of the season over the wall in right-center field.
In his most effective and longest outing of the season, BU starter Mason Green took a one-hit shutout into the fourth. The Knights (28-25, 8-20) got on the board with Dylan King's two-out RBI double to right, but shortstop Tyriq Kemp gunned down Antonio Jimenez at the plate when he tried to score from first on the play.
The Bears answered right back in the top of the fifth, when Castle had a two-out double to left, with Hunter Simmons scoring from first on an errant relay throw by Jimenez at short.
UCF strung together three hits off reliever Lucas Davenport (4-1) in the seventh, scoring two runs and take its first lead of the game, 3-2. The Knights added an insurance run in the eighth, when Andrew Williamson tripled on a gap shot to right-center field that Enzo Apodaca misplayed and scored on Edian Espinal's sac fly to center.
"There was nothing about what we did today that was perfect," Thompson said. "We were late getting over to first (base) once; we misplayed a ball in the outfield. There's going to be mistakes made, but we kept fighting."
After reliever Dom Stagliano threw 4.2 innings, limiting the Bears to one unearned run on three hits and no walks with five strikeouts, Baylor opened the ninth with leadoff walks by Wesley Jordan and freshman Pearson Riebock off Dominic Castellano to get the rally started.
"No doubt, really big walks," Thompson said. "And then we've got a decision to make. We've got Scoob (Simmons) at the plate, with Jack Little and Ty Johnson right there behind him. I said, we've got to take our shot and get them to second, third, and Scoob got down a great bunt."
Simmons sac bunt down the first-base line moved Jordan and Riebock to second and third, with Jordan scoring on Little's RBI grounder up the middle. With the Bears down to their last out, and still trailing by a run, Castle plated Riebock with the tying run on his infield single.
"I'm just proud of the fight," Thompson said. "I'm proud of the fight of the guys. There was some great competitiveness in this dugout tonight."
Taking off for third when catcher King bobbled the delivery from pitcher Kris Sosnowski (3-4), Johnson stole the bag and came home to score when King's throw bounced into the outfield.
"Oh my gosh, I was at first. I had no idea that was happening," said Castle, who recorded his 10th multi-hit game of the season. "He got a great jump and forced the catcher to try to get it in and out quick. Ty's a great player, and he's a gritty one, too. So, no surprise there from him."
Back in front, Baylor turned to closer Gabe Craig, who worked a 1-2-3 ninth to record his 10th save of the season and league-high ninth in conference play. He is the first Baylor reliever to register double-digit saves since all-time saves leader Troy Montemayor had 11 in 2018.
"We had a good feeling down there. We had the rally caps on in the (bullpen)," said Craig, who pitched the last 4 1/3 innings in Sunday's win over OSU. "They told me that if we took the lead, I was in. So, just kind of mentally preparing myself for that. Saved some bullets for out here and got it done."
Thompson said if the Bears can "get to the ninth inning with a one-run lead, and we can get Gabe Craig out there, we ought to feel pretty dang good about it."
Baylor moved up to a tie for 10th with Texas Tech (19-31, 12-16) and is only a half-game behind ninth-place Houston (29-22, 12-15), with two games remaining.
Friday's game at 5 p.m. CT and Saturday's 11 a.m. series finale will be streamed by ESPN+.
BaylorBears.com
ORLANDO, Fla. – Mitch Thompson wasn't about to take credit for making the call for Ty Johnson to steal third and score the go-ahead run on a throwing error that finished off Baylor baseball's 14th comeback win of the season.
"It was a baseball player being a baseball player. He thought he had the base, and he took it," Thompson said of Johnson scoring the winning run in the Bears' 5-4 road victory over the UCF Knights Thursday night that secured Baylor's spot in next week's Big 12 Tournament.
"You can't make that out right there. But if you get it and they throw it away and you score, then your coach loves you. I'm proud of Ty. I think it's a baseball player being a baseball player, knowing what he can do. I'm not taking credit for stealing that bag. I'm going to give Try credit for it. He did a good job.
For the second-straight game, the Bears (32-20, 12-16) overcame a two-run deficit in the eighth inning or later. On Sunday, Baylor scored two runs in the eighth to tie it and then one in the ninth for a walk-off, 5-4 victory over Oklahoma State.
"We know the season's on the line, and we're getting close to the finish line," said senior catcher Cortlan Castle, who went 2-for-3 and drove in the tying run with an infield single deep in the hole at shortstop. "And nobody in our dugout wants to be done playing. We're fighting every second to get as many wins as we can and fight to extend our season. To see our guys dig deep and get the job done, it just feels good."
Baylor took the early lead just two batters into the game, when Travis Sanders blasted his seventh homer of the season over the wall in right-center field.
In his most effective and longest outing of the season, BU starter Mason Green took a one-hit shutout into the fourth. The Knights (28-25, 8-20) got on the board with Dylan King's two-out RBI double to right, but shortstop Tyriq Kemp gunned down Antonio Jimenez at the plate when he tried to score from first on the play.
The Bears answered right back in the top of the fifth, when Castle had a two-out double to left, with Hunter Simmons scoring from first on an errant relay throw by Jimenez at short.
UCF strung together three hits off reliever Lucas Davenport (4-1) in the seventh, scoring two runs and take its first lead of the game, 3-2. The Knights added an insurance run in the eighth, when Andrew Williamson tripled on a gap shot to right-center field that Enzo Apodaca misplayed and scored on Edian Espinal's sac fly to center.
"There was nothing about what we did today that was perfect," Thompson said. "We were late getting over to first (base) once; we misplayed a ball in the outfield. There's going to be mistakes made, but we kept fighting."
After reliever Dom Stagliano threw 4.2 innings, limiting the Bears to one unearned run on three hits and no walks with five strikeouts, Baylor opened the ninth with leadoff walks by Wesley Jordan and freshman Pearson Riebock off Dominic Castellano to get the rally started.
"No doubt, really big walks," Thompson said. "And then we've got a decision to make. We've got Scoob (Simmons) at the plate, with Jack Little and Ty Johnson right there behind him. I said, we've got to take our shot and get them to second, third, and Scoob got down a great bunt."
Simmons sac bunt down the first-base line moved Jordan and Riebock to second and third, with Jordan scoring on Little's RBI grounder up the middle. With the Bears down to their last out, and still trailing by a run, Castle plated Riebock with the tying run on his infield single.
"I'm just proud of the fight," Thompson said. "I'm proud of the fight of the guys. There was some great competitiveness in this dugout tonight."
Taking off for third when catcher King bobbled the delivery from pitcher Kris Sosnowski (3-4), Johnson stole the bag and came home to score when King's throw bounced into the outfield.
"Oh my gosh, I was at first. I had no idea that was happening," said Castle, who recorded his 10th multi-hit game of the season. "He got a great jump and forced the catcher to try to get it in and out quick. Ty's a great player, and he's a gritty one, too. So, no surprise there from him."
Back in front, Baylor turned to closer Gabe Craig, who worked a 1-2-3 ninth to record his 10th save of the season and league-high ninth in conference play. He is the first Baylor reliever to register double-digit saves since all-time saves leader Troy Montemayor had 11 in 2018.
"We had a good feeling down there. We had the rally caps on in the (bullpen)," said Craig, who pitched the last 4 1/3 innings in Sunday's win over OSU. "They told me that if we took the lead, I was in. So, just kind of mentally preparing myself for that. Saved some bullets for out here and got it done."
Thompson said if the Bears can "get to the ninth inning with a one-run lead, and we can get Gabe Craig out there, we ought to feel pretty dang good about it."
Baylor moved up to a tie for 10th with Texas Tech (19-31, 12-16) and is only a half-game behind ninth-place Houston (29-22, 12-15), with two games remaining.
Friday's game at 5 p.m. CT and Saturday's 11 a.m. series finale will be streamed by ESPN+.
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