PROVO, Utah — BYU baseball dropped its second of three games versus Baylor in extra innings before a sellout crowd at Miller Park on Friday night.
The Cougars led 4-1 after six innings, but a late-game surge from the Bears pushed the game into the 10th inning, during which Baylor scored four more runs.
Collin Reuter secured two hits on the night and tied Oklahoma's Scott Mudler for the Big 12 lead in base runners caught stealing at 11 this season. Bryce Robison pitched six innings, with 49 strikes thrown.
Player Highlights
Collin Reuter: 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, double
Crew Robinson: 2-3, 2 runs, double
Bryker Hurdsman: 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI double
Baylor struck first, hammering a home run into the trees past left field at the top of the second. During the Cougars' turn at bat, Reuter was walked to first, then came home and tied the game 1-1 on a Hurdsman double to center.
First baseman Cooper Vest helped keep the Bears scoreless in the third with two ground balls to first tagged out, as well as a bunt thrown out to Vest from Reuter.
Crew Robinson was walked to first and quickly stole second base to start the bottom of the third. Painter hit a ground ball passing first base, securing his single and batting in Robinson to bring the Cougars' score to 2-1. While Easton Jones was up to bat, Painter stole second and was later batted in as Reuter’s ground ball missed the shortstop and headed into center left field, bringing the score to 3-1 heading into the fourth.
After two scoreless innings, Hurdsman walked to first, stole second, advanced to third, and ultimately came home on throws, bringing the Cougars' score to 4-1 heading into the seventh.
After four scoreless innings for the Bears, a line drive to left field brought a runner in, making the score 4-2.
BYU was unable to capitalize on loaded bases in the bottom of the seventh and struggled to close the game with Baylor as the visitors brought in a runner in the top of the ninth to square the game 4-4.
Jones doubled to left-center in the bottom of the ninth but was stranded there, sending the Cougars to their first extra innings home game since April 27th, 2023. Baylor went on to outscore BYU 4-1 in the 10th and leave with the win.
The final game of the series with the Bears is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. MDT. It will air live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and can also be heard on the BYU Radio App and BYU Radio 107.9 FM locally.