Baylor baseball lineup continues scorching stretch, completes sweep of Knox Catholic

Staff photo by Troy Stolt / Baylor's Luke Courdin (26) pitches the ball during the baseball game between Knoxville Catholic and Baylor School at Baylor School Wyatt McMahan Field on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Staff photo by Troy Stolt / Baylor's Luke Courdin (26) pitches the ball during the baseball game between Knoxville Catholic and Baylor School at Baylor School Wyatt McMahan Field on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Baylor bombers would be a fitting name for the way the Red Raiders are hitting the baseball lately.

Once again the bats were explosive for a team which looks intent on claiming a state championship 3-peat this season. Baylor finished off a three-game sweep of Knox Catholic with a comeback 14-7 home victory in which a scorching lineup accounted for seven doubles.

"This team expects to barrel balls up and make really loud outs," said Red Raiders coach Greg Elie, whose team is on a 12-game win streak and has scored double digit runs in seven straight. "Eventually you will have the games where they fall and that's what is going on right now for us. The game always evens out. These guys have kept a positive approach and are all feeding off each other. It's happening team-wide. It's truly a fun offense."

Dayton native and South Carolina signee Cooper Kinney continues to be a key spark for the lineup, which battled back from a 4-1 deficit against the Irish in Wednesday's Division II region battle.

The left-handed slugger swatted a pair of doubles and is now 13-for-17 with three home runs, six doubles and 17 runs batted in over his last five games.

photo Staff photo by Troy Stolt / Baylor's Carson Yates (16) heads to third base during the baseball game between Knoxville Catholic and Baylor School at Baylor School Wyatt McMahan Field on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

"After missing his junior season, Cooper came back out here this season with a lot of guys feeling like he still had something to prove even though he's been doing this since his freshman year," Elie said. "They are not scared to go out there and prove themselves every day. They look at it as a challenge and Cooper and so many guys are rising to meet it right now."

Hunter Herndon highlighted the day offensively going 3-for-3 with four runs batted in and two doubles, while recent Middle Tennessee State University commitment Carson Yates also doubled twice and drove in a pair. Meanwhile, Danny Corona (2-for-4, double) stayed hot at the plate and in the field showing off incredible range at shortstop.

With a loaded lineup, Baylor (17-2) is also dangerous on the mound, having allowed more than three runs in just two games this season as Patrick Johnson, Jay Dill, Gaston Carmichael and others have been sharp. Johnson and Dill combined for 26 strikeouts in the first two wins against Knoxville Catholic.

"I wouldn't take any other pitching staff over this one," Elie added. "Now, we get to have some fun next week in our rivalry series against McCallie."

Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.

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