ROUND ROCK, Texas — Baylor baseball finished up the Round Rock Classic with a 9-3 loss to No. 25 Oklahoma at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas on Sunday. The Sooners (4-3) led by as many as seven runs and handed the Bears (2-4) their second loss of the event.
No. 25 Oklahoma struck first with two runs in the opening frame before the Bears responded with two runs of their own in the home-half. Second-year freshman Jared McKenzie started the game with his team-leading 11th hit with a single up the middle. Following an error and sacrifice bunt, BU had runners on the corners when second-year freshman Kyle Nevin poked one through the left side for an RBI-single. In the next at-bat a newcomer Jack Pineda grounded out to tie things up at 2-2.
In the third, the Sooners plated four runs to take the 6-2 advantage into the fourth. The runs continued in the fifth and sixth as OU added three more to take the 9-2 lead.
The Bears got a run back after an error in center field to make it 9-3, the eventual final, after both teams went scoreless over the final three innings.
In his first career start true freshman Cam Caley (0-1) was tabbed with the loss, while Oklahoma’s Jake Bennett (1-0) earned the win.
NOTES
- McKenzie and Pineda were named to the 2021 Round Rock Classic All-Tournament Team.
- McKenzie continued his hot-hitting after going 2-for-5 with a run and RBI.
- Three players ended the game with multiple two hits, including McKenzie, third-year sophomore Chase Wehsener and Nevin.
- Pineda and Wehsener each have hits in every game this season.
- The Bears have had double-digit hits in each of the games in 2021.
QUOTE FROM COACH ROD
“I think the big thing for us and our young arms, is that they need to know what they are capable of doing. They need to come in and command the baseball and command the zone. We’re running so many young arms out there that we need for them to get over that initial energy rush and get comfortable on the mound.”
WHAT’S NEXT
Baylor will open up its five-game homestand against Sam Houston on Tuesday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark.
