June 4, 2005
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WACO, Texas - Reid Brees drove in a career-high tying four runs and Trey Taylor notched the first complete game of his career as eighth-ranked and top-seeded Baylor defeated fourth-seeded Texas-San Antonio 8-3 Saturday night in first-day action of the 2005 NCAA Waco Regional at Baylor Ballpark. Baylor (40-21) advances to Sunday's 2:30 p.m. CDT winners' bracket game against second-seeded TCU, which defeated third-seeded Stanford 5-1 earlier Saturday. UTSA (27-33) moves to the losers' bracket and will face Stanford at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Taylor (7-5) allowed solo runs in the third, sixth and eighth innings, and he scattered nine hits with 10 strikeouts. It marked the third double-digit strikeout performance of Taylor's career. The Bears are now 9-0 in Taylor's career when he records at least seven strikeouts; he is 7-0 in those games.
The complete game came in Taylor's 50th career start. It was the first complete game by a Baylor pitcher since Sean Walker's 8-1 victory in the first game of a doubleheader May 1, 2004, at Kansas State, a span of 77 games without a complete game.
Brees got the offense going for the Bears, blasting a first-inning, three-run homer down the line in left. It was his first at bat since leaving the May 22 game against Missouri with a bruised sternum after a collision with the left-field wall while chasing down a fly ball. It was his second home run of the season and his first in postseason play.
UTSA cut into Baylor's lead with a Ryan Crew sacrifice fly in the top of the third. However, the Bears were quick to answer as Josh Ford blasted his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot down the line in left, in the bottom of the inning.
Baylor tacked on three more runs in the fifth. Kevin Russo had an RBI double, Brees scored Russo on a sacrifice fly, and Josh Ford later scored on a two-out fielding error by UTSA third baseman Ryan Saltzgaber. In the seventh, Zach Dillon singled to left, stole second and then scored on a Kevin Sevigny single down the right-field line.
Paul Witt went 3-for-4 with a run and a double. Ford and Dillon both went 2-for-4; Russo and Ford scored twice each.
UTSA starter Aaron Rodriguez (8-6) took the loss for the Roadrunners. He allowed seven runs, six earned, on seven hits with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Josh Ruffin was touched for one run on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts over the final 3.2 innings.
The Roadrunners were led at the plate by Crew, who was 3-for-3 with a home run, a sacrifice fly and two RBI.
Baylor sends right-hander Mark McCormick (7-3, 3.08 ERA) to the mound Sunday, opposite right-hander Sam Demel (5-4, 4.09 ERA).
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 23-2, including a 16-1 record in games played in Waco. The Bears are 21-0 against the Roadrunners under the direction of head coach Steve Smith. ... Baylor is 24-23 all-time in NCAA postseason play, 5-4 at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears are 22-15 all-time in regional play, 4-2 at Baylor Ballpark. ... Taylor made his 50th career start Saturday, joining Steven White (59, 2000-03) and Josh Scott (50, 1998-01) as the only Baylor pitchers to ever make 50 career starts. Baylor is 32-17 in Taylor's 50 career starts. ... In his last 27 starts, Taylor has allowed three or fewer runs 22 times. ... The Bears improve to 18-6 in Taylor's last 24 starts; he is 11-5 in that time. ... For his career, Taylor is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 18.0 innings against UTSA. ... Baylor improves to 32-10 when the starting pitcher goes at least 5.0 innings. The Bears are 30-4 when scoring first, 13-2 when scoring in the first inning. ... Baylor is 33-6 when scoring at least four runs, 26-2 when scoring at least five runs and 20-0 when scoring at least seven runs. ... Baylor is 22-6 when hitting a home run, 9-0 when hitting at least two. ... The Bears are 32-3 when out-hitting the opponent. ... Baylor is 12-1 when leading after one inning, 16-4 after two, 20-4 after three, 22-4 after four, 24-2 after five, 31-2 after six, 32-2 after seven and 32-1 after eight innings or later. ... Ford has reached safely in 18 consecutive games and in 55 of his last 56 games. He has reached in all but two of Baylor's 61 games this season. ... Friday was Michael Griffin's 250th career game. ... Ford's home run was the 35th of his career, tying Griffin for sixth all-time at Baylor. ... Ford's home run was the 91st extra-base hit of his career, tying Marty Crawford (1993-96) for seventh all-time at Baylor. ... Dillon (five games) and Griffin (four games) both extended hitting streaks.
