Baylor
USC
Ford's Grand Slam Fuels Baylor Doubleheader Sweep
2/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 22, 2003
WACO, Texas - Josh Ford's sixth-inning grand slam powered ninth-ranked Baylor to a 9-8 win and doubleheader sweep of seventh-ranked Southern California at Baylor Ballpark.
Baylor (7-3) won for the seventh time in eight games. The Bears also won their fifth straight from the Trojans (5-5), including last season's sweep at Dodger Stadium.
In stark contrast to the afternoon's pitching duel, Saturday night's game was a back-and-forth slugfest that saw the lead change hands five times before Ford's grand slam put the Bears on top for good.
The blast made a winner out of Ryan LaMotta (3-0), who had allowed two runs in the top of the sixth as the Trojans went up 7-5. LaMotta allowed one other run in the seventh as USC cut the margin to one, but struck out centerfielder Travis McAndrews with the tying run on third and two outs in the seventh.
Baylor career saves leader Zane Carlson picked up the save, his first since May 26, 2001 -- the date of the infamous 11-10 Baylor victory in the NCAA Regional at Rice.
Senior Chris Durbin had four hits in the game and scored three times, while Ford drove in a career-best five runs and scored three times. Sophomore Michael Griffin added three RBI on a pair of doubles.
Junior lefty Fraser Dizard started on the mound for USC and did not receive a decision after allowing five runs on six hits in four-plus innings of work. Reliever James Luna (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing the Bears' final three runs, including Ford's grand slam, without recording an out.
Baylor will go for the weekend sweep Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
NOTES: Ford's bases-loaded home run was the Bears' first grand slam since Michael Griffin hit on April 22, 2002 at TCU... Baylor's doubleheader sweep was the Bears' first since they took two games from Texas A&M in College Station on Feb. 24, 2001... The day's paid attendance of 3,414 was the 20th-best crowd in Baylor Ballpark history.
