WACO, Texas — The Holy Cross baseball team kept things close early against No. 15 Baylor, but the Bears pulled away late for a 6-1 victory to earn the series sweep on Sunday, February 17.

STATS LEADERS: 

• Chris Rinaldi (three walks)
• Evan Blum (1-for-4, one run scored)
• Alex Gionis (1-for-3)
• Pat McGowan (6.1 innings pitched, four earned runs, two strikeouts)

W: Ryan Leckich, Baylor (1-0)
L: Pat McGowan, Holy Cross (0-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Senior righty Pat McGowan paced the Crusaders in a tough pitching duel early, going toe-to-toe with Baylor's Anderson Needham through three scoreless innings.
• After Holy Cross had no baserunners through the first three innings, junior shortstop Chris Rinaldi had a leadoff walk to begin the fourth. Junior designated hitter Riley Livingston pushed him to second with a sac bunt, and Rinaldi advanced to third on a wild pitch, but the Crusaders were unable to bring Rinaldi home.
• In the bottom of the fourth, Baylor became the first to break the deadlock, pushing two runs across in the inning.
• Sophomore first baseman Evan Blum singled with two outs in the fifth to break the Baylor no-hitter, and senior third baseman Alex Gionis followed with a single before Rinaldi walked again to load the bases. Livingston subsequently earned a walk to force a run across and cut the Bears' lead in half, 2-1. Relief pitcher Ryan Leckich then stepped in and forced a groundout to end the inning, ending the Crusader threat.
• The Bears tacked on three runs in the seventh inning to build their lead and added another in the eighth to ensure the 6-1 win.

DUE UP:

• Holy Cross heads to Alabama-Birmingham for a three-game series beginning on Friday, February 22.

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