March 16, 2003
Box Score
WACO, Texas - Josh Ford's three-run homer in the bottom of the first overcame an early Texas Tech lead Sunday, and No. 8 Baylor went on to defeat the 20th-ranked Red Raiders 9-2.
The win gave Baylor (17-6, 2-1 Big 12) its first series win over Texas Tech (17-8, 1-2 Big 12) since 1999.
The game began in a fashion ominously similar to Saturday's 9-8 loss. Baylor starter Sean Walker (3-1) gave up two hits, two walks and was the victim of yet another Baylor error in the first inning as Texas Tech scored twice and then loaded the bases with two outs. Walker stranded all three runners by inducing a groundout to end the inning and escape trailing just 2-0.
Ford's home run, his fourth of the season, came after Red Raider starter Tanner McElroy (1-1) had walked the first two batters of the game. Ford's shot to left cleared the Baylor scoreboard and gave Baylor the lead for good.
The Bears scored twice more in the second on four singles, knocking out McElroy after just 1 2/3 innings. Down 5-2 after two innings, Tech reliever Dusty Buck provided a solid relief effort, pitching 5 1/3 innings and allowing three runs (two earned), but the Red Raider offense was unable to score again off Walker and Baylor reliever Ryan LaMotta.
Walker walked a career-high five batters and struck out only one, but he was able to scatter six hits over 6 1/3 innings to earn the win. Only one of the two runs was earned off the sophomore righty.
LaMotta took over for Walker in the seventh with one out and a man on first, then quickly escaped the inning by inducing a double play ball off the bat of first baseman Doug Beck. LaMotta pitched the final 2 2/3 innings for his first save, striking out one batter and allowing just one hit and no runs.
A crowd of 3,172 saw the Bears' win at Baylor Ballpark, bringing the weekend's total attendance to 9,778, the second-best regular season weekend total in the park's history. Only the 2001 Texas Tech series drew a bigger three-game total (10,940).
Ford drove in four runs on the day, adding an RBI single in the eighth. Other hitting stars included senior Ross Bennett and freshman Seth Fortenberry, who each hit their first home runs of the year. Both were solo shots, with Bennett's leading off the sixth and Fortenberry's coming in the eighth.
The Bears hit the road Tuesday, heading to Fort Worth for a 6:30 p.m. game against TCU at the Horned Frogs' new park, Lupton Stadium. Baylor then returns home for the second weekend of conference play, hosting Oklahoma Friday through Sunday.
