Jan. 17, 2002

WACO, Texas - Baylor sophomore outfielder David Murphy will be out for six-to-eight weeks with a hand injury, baseball coach Steve Smith announced Thursday.

Murphy was diagnosed with a fractured hamate bone in his right (non-throwing) hand. The cause of the injury is unknown. He is set to see a hand specialist Friday, with surgery likely to be scheduled for Tuesday. After surgery, the hand will be in a splint for three weeks and will require three-to-five weeks of rehab after that.

As a freshman in 2001, Murphy played in 60 of Baylor's 61 games, hitting .271 with five home runs, 37 RBI and 34 runs scored. He was a perfect nine-for-nine on stolen bases and led the team with six outfield assists.

The 16th-ranked Baylor baseball team begins the 2002 schedule Feb. 5 at home against Southwest Texas before heading to Houston's Enron Field and the Astros College Classic Feb. 7-9.