LBSU Ends Baseball's Run with 7-3 Win
3/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 8, 2003
WACO, Texas - Eighth-ranked Long Beach State snapped Baylor's 11-game winning streak Saturday night, beating the sixth-ranked Bears 7-3 at Baylor Ballpark.
The Dirtbags (12-6) scored five times in the fifth, all off starter Trey Taylor (1-2), to overcome the Bears' (14-4) early lead. LBSU took advantage of three infield hits, one single up the middle, an error by Taylor and a wild pitch to score the first four runs in the frame before centerfield Adam Heether launched his fifth home run of the year, a solo shot to left that made the score 5-2.
Baylor had taken an early lead in the first. Dirtbag starter Jered Weaver (4-2) gave up three walks and a single to the first four batters he faced, plating one run and loading the bases for Baylor RBI leader Michael Griffin. Weaver recovered to strike out Griffin, then induced fly balls from Zach Dillon and Trey Webb to escape the inning without further damage.
The Bears took advantage of an error in the second to go on top 2-0. Kyle Reynolds worked a lead-off walk, moved to third on an error by third baseman Tito Cruz, and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Chris Durbin.
After LBSU's five-run fifth, Chris Durbin led off the bottom of the frame with a solo home run to left, his sixth of the year. That would prove to be all for Baylor, however, as Weaver and reliever Neil Jamison combined to hold the Bears' high-powered offense to a season-low five hits.
Heether's home run knocked Taylor out of the game in the fifth. Sophomore Sean Walker finished out the game, allowing two runs (one earned) in 4 1/3 innings.
Weaver walked five, one shy of his career high, and struck out only two in 6 1/3 innings. The sophomore allowed only four hits and three runs (two earned) in picking up the win.
Jamison earned his first save of the year after taking over for Weaver in the eighth with runners on first and second with one out. Jamison stranded both runners, then worked a 1-2-3 ninth to end the game.
Baylor and Long Beach State will finish out the series Sunday at Baylor Ballpark; the game time has been changed to a noon start to accommodate LBSU's travel plans.
NOTES: No Bear had more than one hit Saturday... David Murphy's lone safety extended his hitting streak to nine straight games... Durbin's two runs scored moved him past Marty Crawford into fourth place on the Baylor career runs listing.