Beam makes it four consecutive games with multiple hits

WACO, Texas (April 1, 2022) – After striking first in the first, the Blue & Gold couldn’t hold on.

Baylor took game one of a three-game set 15-1 at Baylor Ballpark. ETSU falls to 0-3 all-time against the Bears, all of which have come in Waco.

The Bucs got a hold of Baylor’s Tyler Thomas in the first inning as Tommy Barth (Brecksville, Ohio) drew a one-out walk and a few runners got aboard through an error and single. David Beam (Knoxville, Tenn.) lasered one down the left-field line, but Baylor’s third baseman saved extra bases but brought in the first run of the game. Entering today, the Bucs were 8-1 when scoring in the first inning and 15-1 when scoring first.

After getting out of the bottom of the first unscathed with a pair of runners on, Baylor swung back hard with a five-run second inning that gave them enough run support for the rest of the afternoon. Despite the runs, none of them counted as earned against Hunter Loyd (Knoxville, Tenn.), who got his second consecutive Friday night start.

Loyd worked four innings, a season-low, while allowing six total runs despite only one being earned. Loyd induced six groundouts compared to four flyouts.

ETSU’s offense, coming into the weekend as one of the top-40 in nearly every statistical category, couldn’t get much going after the first inning despite getting five runners on between the second and fifth innings.

The Bears continued to score with one in the fifth, two in the sixth, five in the seventh, and one in the eighth. Baylor’s 15 runs are the most ETSU has allowed since allowing such last season against #13 Virginia Tech.

Entering today, the largest run deficit in any of ETSU’s losses is three against now #1 Tennessee (4-1, in Knoxville).

Pitchers of Record

• Win: Tyler Thomas 4-3
• Loss: Hunter Loyd 3-1
• Save: N/A 

Game Leaders

ETSU

• Beam | 2-for-4, RBI
• Webb | 2-for-3, BB
• King | 1 -for-4, 2B
• McDavid | 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 14 P

BAY

• Pineda | 4-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 R
• McKenzie | 2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI
• Groves | 1-for-1, HR, 3 RBI
• Thomas | W, 5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 92 P 

Notables

• ETSU’s streaks of consecutive games with a home run (eight) and consecutive double-digit hit games (six) came to an end.
• Hodge extended his team-leading 11-game on-base streak after a 1-for-4 day. King extended his seven-game hitting streak following a 1-for-4 day, including the lone double of the game for ETSU.
• Baylor (six) struck out more times than the Blue & Gold (five) as five of their six strikeouts came in the final two innings. ETSU drops to 14-3 when striking out more batters.
• Beam’s fourth consecutive multi-hit game is the longest streak of any Buccaneer this season. Beam’s average has jumped from to .179 to .341 during this four-game stretch.

Record Update

• ETSU: 17-6
• BAY: 14-11

Up Next

ETSU continues their three-game set at Baylor Ballpark tomorrow afternoon with first pitch set for 4:00 p.m. EST. The game will be streaming on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

For more information on Buccaneer baseball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the baseball page.