Shea Langeliers of Baylor sets NCAA tournament record with 11 RBIs

It was one of those baseball games you only imagine in your backyard playing Wiffle Ball or in T-ball.

Shea Langeliers of Baylor set an NCAA tournament record with 11 RBIs in his team’s 24-6 win over Nebraska Omaha in an NCAA regional elimination game on Saturday at Jackie Robinson Stadium. He also hit three home runs.

“When I was a little kid, I like to think I was a pretty good hitter, but I think this game will probably be one of the most meaningful games for me as a hitter, probably for the rest of my baseball career,” he said. “Our backs were up against the wall.”

Baylor (35-18) stayed alive in the double-elimination tournament and will play the loser of Saturday night’s game between UCLA and Loyola Marymount on Sunday at noon.

Josh Bissonette, an Orange Lutheran High graduate who had four hits on Saturday, including a home run, watched in awe of Langeliers’ performance. He’s a junior catcher expected to be a first-round draft pick next week.

“It was unreal,” Bissonette said.

Langeliers hit a two-run home run to left field in the first inning, added a solo home run to left in the third, delivered a two-run single in the fourth, walked in the sixth, had a three-run double in the seventh and drove in his final runs with a three-run home run to left in the seventh. He struck out looking in the ninth.

Despite facing the challenge of having to win three games over the next two days to make it to a super regional, Baylor coach Steve Rodriguez is only focused on finding a starting pitcher for Sunday’s noon contest.

“For me, it’s about winning the first game tomorrow,” he said.

A win would advance Baylor to a 7 p.m. game Sunday against the winner of UCLA-Loyola Marymount.

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