May 22, 2004

Box Score

LUBBOCK, Texas - With the wind whipping at Dan Law Field, no lead is big enough. Such was the case Saturday as Texas Tech scored nine runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to answer Baylor's 12-spot in the top of the inning for a 19-18 victory.

The victory, coupled with the Red Raiders' 4-3 victory in Friday's series opener, clinches the series for Texas Tech (37-17, 16-9) and assures Tech of finishing third in the Big 12.

With the loss, Baylor (27-28, 13-11) can finish no better than fifth. The Bears entered the day one-half game ahead of sixth-place Texas A&M, which hosts league-leading Texas Saturday night. The loss marks the first time Baylor has lost consecutive Big 12 games since an April 11 loss to Oklahoma State was followed by an April 16 loss to Texas. It also is Baylor's first consecutive losses to the same Big 12 team since being swept at Oklahoma in late March.

In the end, it was a Cameron Blair three-run homer with two outs in the seventh that gave the Raiders the victory. It was the seventh home run of the day between the two teams and the fourth in a one-hour, 19-minute seventh inning.

Baylor had a chance to at least tie the game in the top of the ninth. Reid Brees doubled with one out, but Michael Griffin and Kyle Reynolds both flied out to center.

Abe Woody, Baylor's fourth of five relievers on the day, was saddled with the loss, his first in 12 career decisions. Woody (5-1), who entered the game with the bases loaded, no outs and one run already across the plate in the seventh, was touched for five runs on two hits, a walk and two hit batsmen.

Adam Fry (2-0), who stopped the bleeding in the seventh after allowing two runs on two hits in a third of an inning, earned the victory. Corey Gerstner was awarded his third save of the season after allowing only Brees' double with one strikeout in 2.0 innings.

Baylor took the game's first lead in the top of the second on a Mike Pankratz two-run double to right-center. Tech answered with three runs on two hits, two walks and a Baylor error in the third. Blair started the scoring with a solo home run to left. After a Madison Edwards RBI double, the third run scored on thanks to a Griffin fielding error.

The Raiders pushed their lead to 4-2 in the fourth on a Josh Haney two-out RBI triple before Baylor's bats came back to life in the top of the fifth. Reid Brees got things going with a two-run triple down the line in right. After Kyle Reynolds scored Brees with a sacrifice fly, Josh Ford belted his first of two home runs of the day well over the wall in left-center.

However, a Cody Fuller bases-loaded double, a Blair RBI single and a Michael Mask three-run homer in the bottom of the frame made for a short-lived Baylor lead.

In the top of the seventh, Baylor sent 15 batters to the plate. Brees got things started, reaching on a one-out error. Two batters later, Kyle Reynolds pulled the Bears to within one run with a three-run homer to left field. After Josh Ford walked on a full count in an 11-pitch at bat, Tyler Bullock put Baylor ahead with a two-run shot to left-center.

Baylor went on to score seven more runs in the inning, capped by a Ford three-run homer again well over the wall in left-center. The 12 runs were the most scored in an inning by a Baylor team since the Bears plated a school-record 14 runs in the second inning of a 22-6 victory April 19, 1985 against Houston at Ferrell Field.

It all proved inconsequential, though, as the Raiders rallied for nine runs in the bottom of the inning. Fuller reached on a Reynolds throwing error to lead off the inning and it all went down hill from there. Tech scored its first six runs of the inning on just two hits thanks to three walks, a hit batter, a sacrifice fly and a fielder's choice.

The loss spoiled several outstanding offensive performances for Baylor. Brees finished the day 4-for-6 with three runs, four RBI, two doubles and a triple. He was a home run shy of the cycle, tied his career high for hits and eclipsed his career high for RBI. Ford was 3-for-4 with four runs, a tie of his career high, and four RBI. Reynolds finished 3-for-5 with two runs and five RBI.

Paul Witt, Griffin, and Bullock had two hits and two runs each. Pankratz finished with two hits. Jared Clements was the only Baylor starter without a hit, but he walked once, scored once and had a sacrifice bunt.

Baylor starter Sean Walker lasted 3.2 innings and surrendered four runs, three earned, on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Tech starter Dallas Braden was lifted after Brees' two-run double in the fifth; Braden allowed five runs on eight hits with one strikeout in 4.0-plus innings.

The Bears and the Red Raiders conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m. Baylor sends right-hander Mark McCormick (2-3) to the mound opposite Tech right-hander Michael McGowan (2-1).

NOTES: Texas Tech leads the all-time series 63-58, including a 39-19 advantage at Lubbock. The Raiders have won 11 of the last 13 regular season meetings since a Baylor series sweep in Waco during the 1999 season. The Bears have dropped eight straight at Dan Law Field. ... The Bears suffer their first Saturday loss since a 12-11 loss March 27 at Oklahoma, falling to 6-2 on Saturday in Big 12 play. ... Baylor has hit eight home runs in the last three games and 12 home runs in the last six games with two or more in four of those six games. ... Of Kyle Reynolds' 33 RBI this season, 21 have come in Saturday games. ... Abe Woody moved into a seventh-place tie all-time at Baylor with his 52nd career relief appearance, matching the career total of Mark Outlaw (1998-1999). ... Paul Witt extended his hitting streak to nine games, matching his career long. Witt has hit safely in 18 of the last 19 games. ... Josh Ford (five games) and Michael Griffin (three games) also extended hitting streaks. ... Ford moved into a 10th-place tie on Baylor's career home runs list with his 25th and 26th round-trippers, matching the career total of Kelly Shoppach (1999-2001). Saturday was Baylor's first loss this season when Ford homers, falling to 9-1 in such games. ... Baylor knocked its 100th double of the season Saturday, marking the ninth consecutive season with at least 100 two-baggers. Prior to 1996, the Bears had reached 100 doubles in a season only once (103 in 1986).

SCORING CHANGE: There has been a scoring change on the error charged to Paul Witt in Friday night's game. After further review, the error is charged to Kyle Reynolds as a muffed throw with an assist to Witt. This change keeps intact Witt's consecutive errorless streak, now at 105 chances over 23 games.