Baylor
Oklahoma
Baseball Falls at Oklahoma 12-11
3/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 27, 2004
NORMAN, Okla. - Ryan Rohlinger hit a game-tying two-run home run in the sixth and added a game-winning solo shot to lead off the eighth as Oklahoma defeated Baylor 12-11 in Big 12 Conference action Saturday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners (14-10, 3-2) erased an 11-3 fifth-inning deficit and clinched the series against the Bears (9-16, 2-3).
After Kyle Reynolds' second home run of the day gave the Bears an 11-3 lead in the top of the fifth, Oklahoma rallied for six runs on five hits and a Baylor error in the bottom of the frame. Six of Oklahoma's 12 runs were unearned as the Bears committed four errors on the day.
Baylor pounded 16 hits on the day, four from Chase Gerdes in his first collegiate action. Reynolds finished 3-for-6 with seven RBI, the most by a Bear since Charley Carter established the school record of nine April 1, 1998 at Texas-San Antonio. Zach Dillon also had three hits, and Michael Griffin added a pair.
Oklahoma took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first before Baylor answered with a six-run second. Reynolds' first career grand slam capped the inning. After the teams traded an unearned run each, Baylor pushed its lead to 8-3 in the fourth on a Dillon RBI single.
Baylor starter Trey Taylor was touched for nine runs, four earned, on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Zane Carlson (0-3) got the Bears out of a jam in the seventh but allowed Rohlinger's eighth-inning home run and was saddled with the loss.
Jarod McAuliff (5-0), the sixth Oklahoma pitcher, earned his second relief victory of the series. He tossed 1.1 perfect innings with two strikeouts.
Baylor and Oklahoma complete the series Sunday at 1 p.m. The Bears send right-hander Sean Walker (1-3) to the mound against southpaw David Purcey (2-3).
Notes: Baylor now holds a 24-21 advantage in the all-time series, but the Bears are 5-13 all-time at Norman. Baylor leads 13-10 as Big 12 opponents. ... Kyle Reynolds' recorded his first career two-home run game; he had two career home runs entering the day. ... Michael Griffin's fifth-inning double moved him into a sole possession of seventh place on Baylor's career extra-base hits chart (81), surpassing Jeremy Dodson (1996-1998) and Jason Jennings (1997-1999). ... Mike Pankratz (10 games), Reid Brees (six games) and Michael Griffin (four games) all extended hitting streaks, while Drew Sutton saw his seven-game run end. ... Baylor has tallied eight or more hits in eight straight. ... The Bears have recorded 11 or more hits in four of their first five Big 12 games and are hitting .351 in league play.
