ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — The Baylor Bears used a three-run fifth inning to break open a tight game and a parade of relievers to silence the Texas-Arlington Mavericks’ bats in a 5-2 victory Tuesday night at Clay Gould Ballpark.

The game’s decisive moment came in the top of the fifth inning with Baylor leading 2-0. The Bears loaded the bases with one out against Mavericks reliever An Gabler. Baylor’s An then delivered the key hit, a two-run single up the middle that scored two runs. After a pitching change, Baylor added another run on a bases-loaded walk to extend its lead to 5-0. That offensive outburst provided all the necessary cushion for a dominant Baylor bullpen.

Texas-Arlington’s only offense came in the very first inning. After a one-out single by Knott, second baseman Xavier Melendez connected for a two-run home run to deep left field, cutting the early deficit to 2-0. It was Melendez’s only highlight in a 2-for-4 night, as the Mavericks managed just six hits total and never seriously threatened again.

Baylor’s pitching staff, after the first-inning homer, was nearly flawless. Following starter An Baker’s two innings of work, six Bears relievers combined to throw seven shutout innings, allowing only four hits. Brayden Bergman, Charlie Atkinson, Luke McLeod, An Murry, RJ Ruais and Caleb Bunch all contributed scoreless outings. Bergman, Atkinson, McLeod and Bunch each pitched a perfect inning. Ruais struck out two in a perfect eighth inning, and Bunch worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth, inducing a game-ending double play.

The Bears manufactured their early lead with single runs in the second and third innings. In the second, Bo was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on an RBI single by An. In the third, Caraway scored an unearned run after reaching on an error, stealing second and coming home on an infield single by Johnson.

Texas-Arlington’s bullpen, after a rocky start, found its footing too. Following the three-run fifth, Mavericks relievers Nick Perry, An Barr and Hayes Melville shut out Baylor over the final four innings. Perry was particularly effective, throwing two scoreless innings with one hit allowed and one strikeout. Melville pitched a perfect ninth.

Baylor improved to 19-13 with the win, while Texas-Arlington fell to 13-18. The Bears’ victory defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 7-6 Baylor win, though it aligned with the system’s ELO rating that gave Baylor a 66.2% chance to win.

Baylor next travels to Cincinnati for a three-game series starting Friday. Texas-Arlington heads west to open a series at California Baptist on Friday.