March 6, 2007
Box Score
WACO, Texas -- Ben Booker's sixth-inning RBI groundout broke a 4-4 tie, and Seth Hammock added a solo home run in the eighth as Baylor rallied past Texas State 6-4 Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark. It was the fifth comeback victory this season for the Bears, who have won 16 of their last 17 at home and are 41-9 at Baylor Ballpark since the start of the 2005 postseason.
Texas State (12-6) built a 4-1 lead with a pair of runs in the third and another two runs on David Wood's fourth home run of the season in the fifth.
However, Baylor (10-6) was quick to answer both times Texas State scored. In the bottom of the third, Booker drew a one-out walk, stole second and later scored on an Aaron Miller single to left.
Baylor opened the bottom of the fifth with three consecutive hits, the last of which was a Beamer Weems infield single that scored Shaver Hansen. Texas State appeared to be out of the inning, but Adam Witek misplayed Tim Jackson's grounder to third with two outs and Booker scored to pull the Bears within one run at 4-3.
The Bears capped the rally with two runs on one hit and a Texas State error in the sixth. Chase Gerdes and Gregg Glime walked to open the inning. After Gerdes stole third, Hansen bounced an RBI single through the middle to plate Gerdes and tie the score. Texas State center fielder Laurn Randell misplayed Hansen's ball, pushing Glime to third. That allowed Glime to score on Booker's game-winning RBI groundout.
Texas State threatened in the eighth with a pair of one-out singles. However, the first was erased on a caught stealing, and Nick Cassavechia struck out Witek to end the inning and the threat.
Hammock gave Baylor some insurance in the eighth, blasting a 1-1 Eric Weaver offering over the wall in left-center for his first career home run.
Willie Kempf (1-0), the first of four Baylor relievers, earned the victory after recording 2.0 perfect innings. Cassavechia retired the Bobcats' final four batters in order with three strikeouts for his second save of the season. Starter Wade Mackey was touched for three runs, one earned, on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 4.2 innings but did not factor in the decision.
Jason Baca (3-1) took the loss in relief; he allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 3.0 innings. Starter Steven Siers yielded three runs, two earned, on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings, facing two batters in the fifth.
Hansen (2-for-4) and Gerdes (2-for-3) both turned in multiple-hit games for the Bears.
Baylor returns to action this weekend, hosting the Quala-T Imprints Baylor Classic. The Bears face San Francisco at 6:30 p.m. CST Friday, Mississippi State at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Winthrop at 4 p.m. CDT Sunday. In other action, Mississippi State meets Winthrop at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Winthrop faces San Francisco at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, and San Francisco faces Mississippi State at noon Sunday.
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 38-14, including a 32-11 advantage in Waco. The Bears are 25-9 against Texas State under head coach Steve Smith. Baylor has won six straight meetings. ... Baylor improved to 17-4 in midweek non-conference action since the start of the 2006 season, including a 15-3 mark on Tuesday. The Bears have won 10 straight Tuesday games and 17 straight Tuesday games against non-ranked opponents at Baylor Ballpark.
