Baylor
UT-San Antonio
Bears Overcome Early Deficit to Down UTSA 6-5
5/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 3, 2005
With two outs and runners at first and second in the bottom of the ninth, Chase Gerdes lined a full-count Josh Ruffin offering into right-center. UTSA center fielder Sean Danielson chased down the dying liner; however, the ball popped out of Danielson's glove and fell to the ground, allowing Kyle Reynolds to score from second to break a 5-5 tie and give the Bears' their second-largest come-from-behind victory this season.
The late-inning rallies made a winner of Abe Woody, the sixth and final pitcher of the night for Baylor. Woody (6-3) allowed one hit in 2.0 scoreless innings and has been the Bears' pitcher of record in each of the last three games.
Trailing 5-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, Baylor got a run back on two hits in the frame. Josh Ford singled up the middle with one out, moved to second on a Zach Dillon ground out and scored on a Reid Brees single up the middle. The Bears cut into the lead again with a run in the sixth. Kevin Sevigny tripled to right-center to open the inning and then scored on a Paul Witt sacrifice fly.
Two innings later, Witt tied the score with his team-leading 14th two-out RBI of the season. Brees led off the inning with a single to center and was replaced by Gerdes on the base paths. Gerdes took second on an errant pickoff attempt and scored two batters later on a Witt single to right-center.
Witt finished the game 3-for-3 with two RBI. Ford, Reynolds and Brees also had two hits each, while the first two scored twice, as well.
Baylor took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Ford plated Reynolds with a triple down the line in left and scored on a Zach Dillon sacrifice fly. UTSA took the lead in the top of the third on a Chris Lewis two-out grand slam down the line in left. The Roadrunners added a run in the third on a Ryan Crew sacrifice fly.
However, Baylor relievers Tyler Bullock, Trey Taylor, Randall Linebaugh, Nick Cassavechia and Woody combined to hold UTSA scoreless on just three hits the rest of the way.
Baylor starter Jeff Mandel was roughed up in his third start of the season, allowing five runs on five hits and four walks with one strikeout in 3.1 innings. Mandel allowed as many earned runs Tuesday as he had in 37.2 innings of work this season entering the game.
UTSA starter Steven Vasquez surrendered four runs on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Aaron Rodriguez (6-4) was saddled with the loss, allowing two unearned runs on three hits with three strikeouts in 2.1 innings.
Baylor has the upcoming weekend off for final exams. The Bears return to action Wednesday, May 11, traveling to
