March 24, 2001

Box Score

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kelly Shoppach went 3-for-5 and Matt Williams nearly hit for the cycle as the Baylor baseball team blanked Kansas 12-0 in eight innings Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark.

With the win, the Bears improve to 20-8 overall, 8-3 in Big 12 play, while the Jayhawks fall to 14-13 and 2-9.

After scoring a run in the first inning, Baylor was held scoreless for three innings with excellent pitching from Kansas starter Pete Smart. In the fifth, the Bears picked up a pair of runs when Trevor Mote walked and Chris Durbin doubled to right center. Mote beat the play at the plate to score from second. Shoppach then ripped a single to left to plate Durbin and give the Bears a 3-0 lead.

Paul Richmond led off the sixth inning with a home run over the right field wall. Baylor put up two runs in the seventh, including a two-run homer Shoppach.

In the eighth inning, the Bears exploded for six runs, keyed by Williams' two-out, three-run homer. The game was called after eight innings due to the 10-run rule.

Bears starter Josh Scott (4-2) scattered six hits and struck out six batters in 6.2 innings of work for the win. Jayhawks starter Smart (6-1) picked up his first loss of the season, giving up four runs on eight hits in six innings.

Of note, Shoppach has now hit safely in 19 straight games. Williams was just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, having hit a single in the first inning, a double in the fourth and a home run in the eighth.

Baylor and Kansas will meet for the final game of the three-game set Sunday at 1 p.m.