SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — Tyce Armstrong hit three home runs, including a tiebreaking three-run shot in the top of the ninth inning, to lift Baylor to an 11-10 victory over Utah on Saturday afternoon in a Big 12 slugfest at Smith’s Ballpark. The Bears evened the series at two games apiece, improving to 28-26 overall while the Utes fell to 26-24.

The game featured five home runs and a relentless back-and-forth. Utah struck first with a five-run bottom of the first, capped by Matt Flaharty’s three-run homer to right field. Baylor answered in the second on a sacrifice fly by Bo, but the Utes extended their lead in the fourth when Derek Smith homered to center field, making it 7-5. The Bears tied the game in the fifth when Travis Sanders singled in a run and Brady Janusek followed with a three-run homer, part of a four-run frame that evened the score at 7-7.

Utah regained the lead in the sixth on a solo homer by Nevan Noonan and a bases-loaded walk to Arambula, making it 9-7. Baylor answered again in the seventh when Sanders hit a two-run homer and Armstrong followed with a solo shot, tying the game at 9-9. The Utes pushed ahead 10-9 in the bottom of the seventh on a fielder’s choice by Noonan that scored Gilliam.

With two outs in the top of the ninth and runners on first and second, Armstrong launched his third homer of the day, a three-run blast to left field that gave Baylor an 11-10 lead. The Bears turned to reliever Caleb Bunch, who had entered in the sixth inning and worked four scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out four to earn the win. Bunch retired the final four Utes batters, recording three strikeouts in the ninth.

Sanders finished 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs. Janusek went 2 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs. Armstrong was 3 for 4 with two home runs and four RBIs. For Utah, Flaharty was 2 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs. Noonan added a homer and two RBIs, and Smith had a homer and two RBIs.

The game saw eight pitchers used total. Utah starter Seth GrahamPippin allowed five runs on five hits in five innings with five strikeouts. Baylor starter Caleb Ruais allowed two runs in one inning of relief before being replaced by Luke DeVasher, who faced one batter and was pulled. Bunch took over and stabilized the game.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Utah 5, Baylor 4, while Interstat’s ELO system projected Baylor with a 50.60 percent probability to win.