Baylor
Dallas Baptist
It's a Brees: Bears Down DBU 2-1
5/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 4, 2004
WACO, Texas - Reid Brees' walk-off double down the right-field line plated pinch runner Jake Rippee and gave Baylor a 2-1 victory Tuesday night against Dallas Baptist at Baylor Ballpark. It was the first walk-off victory of the season for the Bears, who even their season tally at 23-23 with the victory. Dallas Baptist drops to 38-15.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, a Kyle Reynolds pop-up to no-man's-land in right-center dropped for a single. Rippee then replaced Reynolds and stole second on a 2-1 hit-and-run. Brees swung through the pitch, which missed well outside, pushing the count to 2-2. On the next pitch, Brees laced his 12th double of the year into the right-field corner.
Brees' double not only won the game, but it also kept alive Baylor's streak of 31 consecutive games with at least one extra-base hit. The RBI also made a winner out of reliever Abe Woody (4-0), who remains perfect in 10 decisions as a collegiate pitcher. Woody pitched the final 2.0 innings, allowing one hit with a strikeout.
Baylor took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to a Paul Witt sacrifice fly. Kevin Sevigny led off the inning with a single up the middle, moved to second on a wild pitch and then advanced to third on a Mike Pankratz groundout.
However, Dallas Baptist tied the game in the seventh. One batter after Drew Holder led off the inning with a towering fly ball that was tracked down by Pankratz on the warning track in right-center, Ryan Olivo blasted a solo home run over the wall in right off Ryan LaMotta.
The Patriots had a chance to take the lead in the top of the eighth. With two outs and the bases empty, Drew Noss lifted a fly ball down the line in right. Pankratz dove for the ball but could not make the catch, and the result was a Noss triple as the ball got past Pankratz on the dive. Woody, however, got the next batter, Cody Montgomery, to ground out to Drew Sutton at first, ending the threat.
Baylor starter Jared Theodorakos posted a season-high seven strikeouts with no walks and three hits in 5.0 innings of work. Mark McCormick made his first appearance since March 26, pitching a perfect sixth inning with two strikeouts.
Dallas Baptist starter Lance Broadway lasted 7.2 innings and allowed one run on five hits with three strikeouts. Patriot closer Aaron Klusman (5-3) squelched a Baylor rally after a two-out error in the eighth, but he was saddled with the loss after allowing both hits in the ninth.
Josh Ford and Reynolds had two hits each to lead the Bears at the plate.
Baylor now takes a week off for final exams. The Bears return to the diamond May 11, hosting Texas-Arlington for a 7 p.m. CDT contest at Baylor Ballpark. Baylor's next Big 12 Conference action is May 14-16 at home against Nebraska.
NOTES: Baylor holds a 37-19 advantage in the all-time series with Dallas Baptist, 26-14 in Waco. ... The Bears improve to 5-13 in one-run games. ... Tuesday was Baylor's fifth victory in its last at bat this season. ... Kyle Reynolds (nine games), Josh Ford (eight games), Reid Brees (five games) and Drew Sutton (four games) all extended hitting streaks. Ford's is a match of his career long; this is his third eight-game streak as a Bear. ... Ford also has reached safely in 17 consecutive starts. ... Reynolds has hit safely in 29 of his last 33 starts, including 21 of the last 22. ... Kevin Sevigny has now reached safely in eight consecutive starts. ... Baylor pitchers have a 1.31 ERA over the last seven games with 55 scoreless innings in that span (62 innings). Tuesday was Baylor's 13th errorless game of the season. The Bears are 5-8 in such contests.
