Feb. 20, 2002

Box Score

HOUSTON, Texas - Early inning struggles cost Baylor as the Bears lost to Houston Wednesday night at Cougar Field, 10-4.

Freshman LHP Trey Taylor (0-1), making his first collegiate start, was hit up by Houston (4-3) for eight runs (five earned) in just 2 2/3 innings before being relieved. Taylor struck out three but walked two and allowed eight hits, and his own two errors led to the three unearned runs.

In contrast, Houston starter Keith Whatley (2-1) held the Bears (4-4) to just four runs in seven innings as Houston beat Baylor for the second time already this season.

As has been the pattern for Baylor this season, even after a shaky start, the bullpen kept the Bears in the game. Cody Hall, Sean Walker and Zane Carlson combined for 5 1/3 innings in relief, giving up just two runs and striking out four.

But unlike earlier games this spring, the Bears' offense was unable to come from behind. Baylor scored a single run in the second on an RBI groundout by Michael Griffin to briefly tie the game, but by the time the Bears scored again in the fourth, Houston led 9-1.

Mike Huggins drove in Chris Durbin with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and Baylor added two runs in the fifth on a pair of RBI singles by Tim Hartshorn and Trey Webb. Those runs cut the Houston lead to 10-4, but that would prove to be all the scoring as both bullpens put zeroes on the board.

Hartshorn's single in the fifth was his only hit of the game but extended his hitting streak to eight games, a new career high for the senior. Webb pushed his hit streak to six games, but Paul Richmond (six games) and Mike Huggins (four games) each had their streaks snapped.

Baylor returns to Waco this weekend for a three-game set with Oral Roberts. First pitch at Baylor Ballpark is set for Friday at 7 p.m.