March 12, 2008

Box Score

TULSA, Okla. -- No. 10 Baylor baseball suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season as the Bears fell at Oral Roberts 12-2 Wednesday afternoon. Oral Roberts (10-2) swept the two-game midweek set after a 7-6 victory Tuesday night. Baylor (11-3) ended its longest road trip of the season 3-2.

Brian Van Kirk's three-run home run capped a six-run second inning for ORU. The Golden Eagles added two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.

The Bears did not get on the board until the seventh, scoring two runs on two hits and two walks. Aaron Miller had the lone run-scoring hit in the game, a two-run double. ORU added an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to cap the scoring.

Baylor starter Wade Mackey (2-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits and no walks with one strikeout over 1.2 innings.

Stephen Barnes (1-0), the first of five ORU pitchers, earned the victory in a predetermined three-inning start. Barnes scattered three hits and a walk and did not allow a run.

Miller was 4-for-5 with three doubles, while Dickerson and Hansen both turned in two-hit games. Hansen extended his career-long hitting streak to nine games.

Baylor opens Big 12 Conference play this weekend, hosting No. 23 Oklahoma State for a three-game series at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears and the Cowboys meet Friday at 6:30 p.m. CDT, Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Right-hander Kendal Volz (3-0, 1.71 ERA) will start Friday's series opener against OSU southpaw Andrew Oliver (2-0, 0.77 ERA).

NOTES: The all-time Baylor-ORU series is tied 16-16 but the Golden Eagles have won the last three meetings. Baylor holds an 8-6 advantage during head coach Steve Smith's tenure. Oral Roberts leads the series 6-4 in games played at Tulsa. ... Baylor suffered back-to-back midweek losses for the first time since losses at TCU and at home against Rice during the 2006 season. ... Dickerson (seven games) and Miller (six games) all extended hitting streaks.