May 9, 2006
Box Score
WACO, Texas - Tim Jackson's two-out, two-run, bases-loaded single keyed a three-run seventh inning as Baylor defeated Texas State 5-3 in midweek action Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears (29-19) swept the three-game season series and have won four straight against Texas State (24-26) since last season.
Jackson's game-winning hit snapped an 0-for-4 spell for the Bears with the bases loaded on the night. Baylor had the bases loaded with no outs and a run already on the board in the first, but Mike Pankratz lined into a double play. After a Ben Booker walk reloaded the bases, Jackson grounded out to third to end the inning.
With the score tied 2-2, Baylor again loaded the bases with no outs in seventh. Pankratz flied out to right but not deep enough to score Zach Dillon from third. Booker then struck out swinging. Jackson, who grounded out to third in each of his first three at bats, then looped a single into shallow left-center, scoring Dillon and Kevin Sevigny. Seth Fortenberry, who went from first to third on Jackson's single, then scored on a wild pitch to give the Bears a 5-2 lead.
Texas State made things interesting in the ninth, loading the bases with no outs on a single, a walk and a looping single down the line in right. However, Nick Cassavechia induced a run-scoring double play and a ground out to end the threat and the game. It was Cassavechia's sixth save of the season.
Jeff Mandel (1-2) earned the victory in relief, allowing one run on one hit and a walk with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings of relief. Randall Linebaugh did not factor in the decision; he left the game with a 2-1 lead after holding Texas State to one run on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts over 4.0 innings.
Sevigny's RBI single gave the Bears a 1-0 lead in the first, but Texas State quickly answered with a run in the second. Baylor recaptured the lead in the second on another Sevigny RBI single.
That lead held until the sixth, when Luke Cannon drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a David Wood double down the left-field line.
Wood started for the Bobcats but did not factor in the decision, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout over 3.0 innings. Justin Fiske, the fourth of five Texas State pitchers on the night, was saddled with the loss. Fiske (2-6) surrendered three runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in the seventh.
Dillon finished the night 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and a walk. Sevigny was 2-for-3 with a run, two RBI and two walks. Fortenberry also had two hits, both bunt singles.
Baylor returns to action Wednesday, hosting Prairie View A&M for a 6 p.m. CDT first pitch at Baylor Ballpark. This is a schedule addition, replacing one of the games from the weather-cancelled California series in February. Fans holding tickets to the California series may use those tickets for Wednesday's game.
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 37-14, including a 30-11 advantage in games played in Waco. The Bears are 23-9 against Texas State under head coach Steve Smith. ... Dillon tied his career high with three hits. It was his 12th career three-hit game. ... Fortenberry is the first Bear to record two bunt singles in one game since April 23, 2004, when Paul Witt accomplished the feat against Kansas. ... Baylor improved to 9-1 this season in Linebaugh's 10 starts. ... Baylor is 11-4 in midweek games, including a 9-2 mark at Baylor Ballpark. ... Linebaugh struck out four consecutive batters over the final two outs of the third and the first two outs of the fourth. He is the first Baylor pitcher to record four consecutive strikeouts since April 12, 2005, when Ryan LaMotta accomplished the feat at Texas-Arlington.
