WACO, Texas (Interstat) — A dominant collective pitching performance and a decisive fourth-inning offensive outburst carried the Baylor Bears to a 7-0 victory over the Air Force Falcons on Friday night at Baylor Ballpark.

The Bears, who improved to 7-6, used six pitchers to combine on a four-hit shutout, striking out 16 Falcons batters. Air Force fell to 3-9 with the loss, managing just four singles and a double while being blanked for the first time this season.

The game was a scoreless pitcher’s duel through three innings before Baylor’s lineup broke through against Air Force starter Gaines Estridge in the bottom of the fourth. The inning began with Travis Sanders doubling to right field. Ty Johnson followed by driving him home with a triple to right-center field. After a strikeout, Brady Janusek doubled to right to score Johnson. Hunter Snow then tripled to right-center, bringing Janusek across. Snow subsequently scored on a wild pitch, capping a four-run inning that gave Baylor a commanding 4-0 lead.

The Bears added to their lead with two unearned runs in the sixth. Johnson singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout and a pitching change that brought in Ethan Dillinger for Air Force, Johnson scored on a passed ball. Mason Armstrong, who had reached on a dropped third strike, later scored on an RBI single by Wesley Clements.

Baylor’s final run came in the eighth inning when Janusek singled, advanced on a groundout, and scored on an RBI single by Kellen Dodson.

The most important part of the game was Baylor’s four-run fourth inning, which transformed a tense, scoreless contest into a comfortable lead. The sequence of extra-base hits—a double by Sanders followed by back-to-back run-scoring triples from Johnson and Snow—provided all the offense the Bears’ pitching staff would ultimately need.

Baylor’s bullpen was exceptional in support of starter Lucas Davenport, who worked two scoreless innings. Brayden Bergman, Cayden Baker, RJ Ruais, Caldwell McFaddin and Dillinger, in relief for Air Force, all posted scoreless outings. Ruais and Dillinger were particularly sharp, each striking out four batters over two perfect innings of work.

Offensively for Baylor, Sanders and Janusek each collected three hits, while Johnson drove in a run and scored twice.

The teams are scheduled to continue their three-game series on Saturday.

Editor’s Note: This recap was constructed using provided game data and simulations. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a Baylor 4-2 victory, with its ELO system giving the Bears a 67.9% probability to win.