March 9, 2002
Box Score
WACO, Texas - A Paul Richmond double in the seventh and a Trey Webb sacrifice fly in the eighth drove in all the runs Baylor needed as the 14th-ranked Bears came from behind to beat No. 8 Nebraska Saturday at Baylor Ballpark, 2-1.
Junior Steven White (3-0) picked up the win, contributing eight innings and allowing just five hits to the Huskers (8-4, 1-1 Big 12). Kyle Edens relieved in the ninth and struck out two of the four men he faced for his fourth save of the year to secure the win for Baylor (11-6, 3-2 Big 12).
With strong winds blowing straight in and a pair of strong hurlers on the mound, the game turned out to be exactly the pitchers' duel one might imagine. Nebraska broke the scoreless tie in the fourth, taking a 1-0 lead. The first three hitters in the inning each singled, loading the bases with nobody out. White, however, induced leftfielder Justin Seely to ground into a double play (scoring Jed Morris from third) and got Brandon Eymann to ground out to first base to escape the inning.
For six innings, it looked like Nebraska pitcher Jamie Rodrigue would make that lead stand. Rodrige, who threw a one-hitter last weekend at Fresno State, entered the seventh having allowed just three hits and clinging to the one-run lead. After one away, Jared Clements singled up the middle and Richmond followed with a double into the gap that scored pinch-runner Steve Dorneman from first to tie the game. The two-base hit knocked Rodrigue out of the game in favor of Steve Hale (0-1). A wild pitch by Hale moved Richmond to third with one out, but Michael Griffin (strikeout) and David Murphy (groundout) were unable to put the Bears on top.
After his success in the seventh, Hale was unable to pitch out of trouble in the eighth. After Ross Bennett flew out for the first out, Tim Hartshorn tripled to right center. Nebraska centerfielder Jeff Leise nearly made a sensational diving catch on the ball, but instead, the ball bounded past Leise and let Hartshorn reach third standing up. Webb followed the hit with a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Hartshorn and putting the Bears on top.
Edens started the ninth for Baylor and quickly recorded the first two outs. Ryan Bonesio singled to right to put the tying run on base, but twisted his ankle rounding the bag and was replaced by pinch-runner Josh Birmingham. A wild pitch moved the potential tying run into scoring position, but Edens fanned Will Bolt for the final out of the game to tie the series at one game apiece.
The two teams square off again Sunday in the series finale. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Baylor Ballpark.
