May 22, 2003

Box Score?|? Notes

OKLAHOMA CITY - Trailing 9-2 heading to the bottom of the eighth, No. 16 Baylor brought the tying run to the plate twice in the bottom of the ninth; but the Bears could not complete the comeback, falling to seventh-ranked and top-seeded Nebraska 9-5 here Thursday in winners' bracket action of the 2003 Big 12 Conference Tournament at Bricktown Ballpark.

Baylor (38-20) moves to Friday's elimination game against Missouri at 7 p.m. The Bears defeated the Tigers 11-0 in a seven-inning, run-rule game in Wednesday. The winner of Friday's Baylor-Missouri contest faces Nebraska (44-14) at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Nebraska struck for three runs on three hits in the top of the first. Baylor answered in the bottom of the frame with a run on three hits, all coming with two outs. Mark Saccomanno produced his 11th two-out RBI of the season, scoring Josh Ford with a single to right.

The teams traded runs in the third, Baylor scoring on a two-out RBI double by Michael Griffin. Nebraska pushed its lead to 5-2 in the fifth thanks to an Alex Gordon RBI double. The top of the sixth was most costly for Baylor, though, as the Huskers plated four runs on four hits to open a 9-2 advantage.

However, the Bears did not go quietly, scratching for three runs on four hits in the bottom of the eighth. After a Reid Brees pinch-hit single with one out, Trey Webb blasted his fifth home run of the season to left. Paul Witt then walked and moved to third on a Kevin Sevigny double to right-center. David Murphy followed with a run-scoring single through the left side; that was hit No. 103 on the season for Murphy, establishing a Baylor record for hits in a season.

Baylor loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth, thanks to a Saccomanno walk, a Ross Bennett pinch-hit single and a Trey Webb hit-by-pitch. However, Nebraska right-hander Mike Sillman came in for the final two outs, converting his second save of the season.

Sean Walker (8-5) started and took the loss for the Bears; he was touched for seven runs on seven hits and four walks with six strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Quinton Robertson (9-2) lasted six-plus innings for the Huskers, allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks with six strikeouts. Nebraska used six pitchers on the night.