DESIGNATED CLOSER

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

WACO, Texas – When Baylor shortstop Travis Sanders sees Caleb Bunch coming out of the bullpen for the ninth inning, he pretty much knows, "It's game over."

"He's one of those guys, similar to (Gabe) Craig – he might not have the same stuff as Craig from last year, but (he has) the same mentality, and I have the same trust in Bunch as I did in Craig," Sanders said, comparing the Baylor redshirt senior reliever to last year's closer, who earned All-America and All-Big 12 honors before being drafted in the fifth round by the Phillies.

And while he did give up a one-out solo homer to West Virginia's Matt Ineisch in the ninth inning, "Bunchie" picked up his second save of the season by retiring the next two batters to close the door in the Bears' 7-6, conference-opening win Friday night over the defending Big 12 champion Mountaineers.

Shrugging off the first home run he's allowed this season, Bunch bounced back to retire dangerous hitter Gavin Kelly on a grounder to short and then struck out 3-hole hitter Paul Shoenfeld on three pitches.

"That's something that happens with baseball," Bunch said. "I've been playing the game a long time. And when I have those guys backing me up like that, just knowing that I can go right back in, and if the ball's put in play, they're going to help me out."

Although nothing was set in stone, Bunch inherited the closer role this year after going 2-0 with a 3.23 ERA and two saves last season, striking out 30 batters and walking just eight in 39 innings. The year before, he earned second-team All-Southland Conference honors as a reliever, going 2-1 with a 2.58 ERA and four saves while registering 40 strikeouts in 45.1 innings pitched.

"I enjoy being in the game at the end," he said, "but the guys in front of me put me in that position, guys like Charlie Atkinson, (Zach) Wallace was battling today, (Lucas) Davenport with a great start. And then RJ (Ruais) . . . they put me in that position. They all threw the ball really well. So, just trying to make sure that I can back them up and finish the game out for us."

Facing their sixth ranked team of the young season – West Virginia (11-4, 0-1) came in at No. 22 – the Bears (11-6, 1-0) answered the Mountaineers' three-run fourth with a five-run bottom half of the inning and never trailed again.

After a pair of lead-off walks off starter Dawson Montesa, Baylor greeted reliever Reese Bassinger (1-1) with four-straight hits, another walk and a sacrifice fly by Tyce Armstrong to go up 6-4.

"That's something we talk about all the time as a team," Bunch said. "When we get punched, we've got to punch right back. Having that mentality helps us out a ton in situations like that."

After bridge innings from Wallace (2-0) and Atkinson, Ruais threw just 15 pitches in a perfect eighth, providing the exclamation point by striking out Armani Guzman swinging.

While Ruais was efficient, Baylor coach Mitch Thompson said the plan all along was to give the ball to Bunch for the ninth.

"It's more so, just ready when your time comes," Bunch said. "RJ went out there and threw an amazing inning and got us through that eight. And then, I heard my name called in the ninth. You've got to be ready for it."

DESIGNATED CLOSER

Players Mentioned

Tyce Armstrong

Charlie Atkinson

Caleb Bunch

Travis Sanders

Footer