Bears Stay Perfect, Slip by SFA 4-3

Baseball 3/2/2008 12:00:00 AM

March 2, 2008

WACO, Texas -- Shaver Hansen's seventh-inning, two-out RBI single down the left-field line broke 3-3 tie as No. 13 Baylor remained perfect on the season with a 4-3 victory over Stephen F. Austin in Sunday's finale of the third-annual QTI Baylor Classic. The Bears (7-0) have matched the 1987 and 1993 squads for Baylor's best start since 1984. In the day's first game, Illinois-Chicago defeated Illinois 7-4 in a game that was called after six innings due to curfew for Illinois' travel.

Five of Baylor's seven wins this season have been one-run affairs. The Bears were 4-5 in one-run games all of last season. Baylor also notched its 11^th consecutive win at Baylor Ballpark, dating back to last season.

Baylor also claimed the tournament title, going 3-0 on the weekend. Illinois-Chicago finished 2-1, Stephen F. Austin was 1-2, and Illinois was 0-3. Baylor's Aaron Miller, who clubbed a Big 12- and Baylor-record tying three home runs Friday night against Illinois, was named MVP. Kendal Volz, Erik Forestiere, Dustin Dickerson, Landis Ware, Hansen, Beamer Weems and Ben Booker joined Miller on the all-tournament team for the Bears.

Stephen F. Austin (4-4) tied the game with a pair of unearned runs on Noel Trevino's two-out single in the top of the seventh. Baylor responded in the bottom of the frame. After Gregg Glime walked to start the inning, Paul Miles reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. Ware struck out and Booker drew a walk. Hansen followed with a Texas Leaguer down the line that tipped off the glove of a sliding Kevin Crabtree.

Forestiere retired the game's final six batters in order with three strikeouts for his first career save. Mace Thurman (1-0) earned the victory in relief, allowing two unearned runs on three hits with two strikeouts over 2.0 innings. Starter Willie Kempf held SFA to one run on two hits and three walks with four strikeouts over 5.0 innings.

Baylor built a 3-0 lead with single spots in each of the first three innings. Hansen blasted his second home run of the season in the first, and Dickerson's second-inning triple plated Adam Hornung. Booker led off the third with a home run to right-center.

Stephen F. Austin got a run in the fourth when Zach Gardner was hit by a pitch to leadoff the inning and advanced to third on two Kempf wild pitches. Three batters later, Kevin Croft slapped a single into left-center, scoring Gardner. The Jacks tied the game in the seventh thanks to a pair of hits and a Baylor error.

Jared Schrom (0-1) took the loss in relief, allowing one run on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts over 3.0 innings. Starter Erich Lehmann was touched for three runs on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts over 5.0 innings.

Hansen and Dickerson both turned in two-hit games for the Bears.

Baylor returns to action Tuesday, hosting Louisiana Tech for the first of a two-game midweek set at 6:30 p.m. The Bears and the Bulldogs also meet Wednesday at 4 p.m.

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 25-0, including a 21-0 mark in games played in Waco and a 9-0 mark under head coach Steve Smith. ... Baylor is 286-125-1 all-time against current Southland Conference members. ... Booker (five games) and Hansen (three games) both extended hitting streaks, while Ware failed to hit safely for the first time in his seven-game career.

2008 QTI BAYLOR CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

SP Derrick Miramontes Illinois-Chicago

SP Kendal Volz Baylor

RP Erik Forestiere Baylor

C Kevin Coddington Illinois-Chicago

1B Dustin Dickerson Baylor

2B Landis Ware * Baylor

3B Shaver Hansen Baylor

SS (tie) Beamer Weems Baylor

Brandon Wikoff Illinois

OF Aaron Miller * Baylor

OF Steve McGuiggan * Illinois-Chicago